Demolished
by Lady Savage
Summary: Sequel to Crushed. Tensions are beginning to ease now that the Scoobies have begun to relax from their last adventure, only now a bunch of missing corpses are alluding to a new, even greater danger...
1. Unwritten rules

**A/N:**_ This is it: the highly anticipated sequel to Crushed. Well, not really that anticipated. Possibly a little. You know you want it, though. If you don't, take it anyway. This will only really make sense if you read Crushed. Review, otherwise you're stealing my hard work, and it's not easy to make any sense out of the chaos in my head, so be nice. Review. Interesting point, due to my inane ramblings at the end of Crushed I have now received the highest number of active requests for my continued living. Life's just funny I guess._

**Disclaimer:**_ You know what's really weird? I've actually gone to the trouble of having people beta this, so it's all quality controlled. Big shout out to _Ezekeiel Rage_, my Chief Sycophant and beta #1, and _Ultrawoman_, an excellent author and beta #2. You guys are all right._

XXX

_**.:Demolished:.**_

XXX

**Unwritten rules**

"Ahem!" Giles cleared his throat pointedly, trying almost desperately to not watch the Slayer in the vampires lap. He loved Buffy like a daughter, he really did, and he wouldn't stand in the way of the choices she made, she was an adult now after all, but it was quite inconsiderate of her to snog with her new boyfriend while he was trying to explain the newest threat to Sunnydale. At least the last time he had been forced to endure a shameless display like this he had been blind.

"Sorry," Buffy said sheepishly after breaking away from the breathtaking kiss she'd been sharing with Spike, her face flushed red with embarrassment and something else that Giles really did not want to dwell on. While the Watcher was blocking out some very disturbing thoughts Spike smirked, rolling his tongue behind his teeth, before leaning in to whisper in Buffy's ear. Giles thought her outraged smack to Spike's shoulder was ruined somewhat by the half-suppressed snort of laughter that accompanied it.

"As I was saying," Giles continued, resigned to the fact that he wouldn't be getting their full attention, "the disappearances that have been occurring as of late appear to be the work of a helvinn demon-"

"It's probably not." Anya interrupted casually from behind the counter, counting the money in the register. Giles suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and cleaned his glasses instead, quirking an eyebrow in question. "Helvinns only eat the corpses of children, and they only live in arctic regions."

"Lived, pet" Spike inserted, finally releasing his lips from Buffy's long enough to contribute. "Helvinns have been extinct for about fifty years now."

"Well, I've got no bloody clue then," Giles sighed, exasperated by how lightly his Slayer was taking this whole thing. They had barely stopping kissing the entire time he had been explaining the situation..

"Don't sweat it, Giles. You'll find, I'll slay, we'll party" Buffy shrugged, shifting so she faced Giles instead of Spike. She leaned back into Spike's arms complacently, his leather clad arms wrapping around her waist.

"I don't think you're grasping the levity of the situation here! Half a dozen graves have been robbed every night the last three days. This is the Hellmouth, which makes the possible uses infinitely more dangerous."

"I do get how dangerous it is Giles." Buffy assured him quietly, her calm voice seeming odd when looking at how tense she was. "Nothing on the Hellmouth leads to hugs and puppies. We don't really know anything, and until we do there's no point in worrying about it."

The Slayer and her Watcher looked at one another, before Giles sighed. "Of course, Buffy. I apologise. These disappearances have me on edge and our situation with William has been one constant migraine." Buffy was obviously stifling a giggle as Giles cleaned his glasses absently.

"He's with mom and Dawn now. I swear, mom would never let him go if she didn't have to. _'He's such a sweet boy, Buffy'_" she parroted with amusement. Spike smirked over Buffy's shoulder at her slightly less than flattering impersonation of her mother.

"He's a bloody poof is what he is," the vampire grumbled relatively good naturedly. Buffy swivelled back to look at him again with a goofy grin on her face.

"Is my little schnookums jealous?" she cooed in a baby voice. Spike raised a single, sardonic eyebrow.

"Schnookums?"

Buffy just smiled and leaned in for another kiss. Giles massaged the bridge of his nose. He really shouldn't be forced to deal with this. He started slightly when he felt Anya's hand abruptly pat his shoulder in an attempt at sympathy. The doorbell jingled and Xander strolled in with a pizza box in hand.

"The Xan-man is here and he comes bearing- Ah!" Xander shrieked sharply when he noticed Buffy and Spike kissing again and turned his back. "Can you guys not... do that?" he asked in a pained voice, waving vaguely at the still kissing pair over his shoulder. "I'm trying to live in denial here."

XXX

Anya was not a happy ex-demon.

She and Xander had been engaged since the night they beat Glory and saved William, and she still couldn't tell anyone about it. Meanwhile, they had all been turned into the opposite gender, Drusilla had tried to kill them all, Spike had saved Xander, they had been turned back, William had nearly become undone and instead had gotten younger (a method which Anya would probably try to emulate when she got all wrinkly), Spike had been poisoned, Buffy had saved him, they had finally gotten together, they had decided to send William to high school _and_ Giles had organised a new supplier without telling Anya so she could do the usual business things like bribes. It had been a very traumatic experience.

And still, after all that had happened she was still unable to tell anyone. It was horribly unfair, and possibly unconstitutional. At the very least, she still had the money to get her through the day. Making it, counting it, keeping it, having it. But it had started to seem... empty without Xander.

He'd been drawing away a little bit, and Anya was seriously afraid that he wanted out. She knew he only proposed to her because he thought they were going to die. She _knew_ it. She'd seen it countless times in her days as a justice demon. Man likes woman, woman likes man, man gets tired of woman, vengeance becomes necessary.

And that's how she got her plan. If Xander didn't want her anymore, she'd make him want her. He'd never said anything about it, but Anya wasn't a fool and she'd watched Star Wars with him. It had taken her a long time to find the outfit, though. She would have thought that, with the number of geeks out there, it would have been easier to find, but there you go. Then again those geeks never got laid, thus the costumes were unnecessary.

It was a very surprised Xander that came across Anya dressed as Princess Leia from Return of the Jedi draped across the couch. To Anya's immense disappointment and considerable disgust, he did not even attempt to ravage her. He just smiled wanly before hanging his coat on the hook and heading into the shower.

Anya began to cry, and not even a pretty cry. Not delicate little tears that glistened on her cheeks and showed the world that she was hurt, but would live. No, these were great heaving sobs that came with a side of runny nose and puffy, unattractive eyes.

Anya sobbed and sniffled for a while, wallowing in her despair until she felt a warm hand on the cooling skin of her shoulder. She raised her soggy head and found herself looking into the warm, concerned eyes of her fiancé.

"What's wrong, Ahn?" Xander asked, as though he cared. Anya almost felt some rage at his posturing before it drowned in the sea of despair in which she found herself.

"You don't love me any more" she whimpered, dropping her head back into the couch cushion. Xander's hand slightly withdrew from her shoulder, only his fingertips resting on her flesh now.

"What makes you say that?" he asked in a strangely strangled voice. Anya waved a hand dismissively.

"It's obvious. You don't want anyone to know about how we're engaged, and you don't even want me any more!" she wailed into the cushion. Her rage bubbled up when she heard Xander's laugh.

"Ahn, Ahn. Look at me." Anya allowed him to coax her into a sitting position. "This is because I haven't told them yet about the engagement, isn't it?"  
  
"No. Maybe. Yes! It's painful and confusing! I mean, first you, you give me this beautiful ring ...and then I can't even wear it in public. I mean, do you know how depressing that is?"  
  
"Anya, I promise, your waiting days are almost over. I, I know it's frustrating ... but the way I understand this marriage thing, it's kind of a forever deal." he assured her.  
  
"Why won't you tell them?" Anya sniffled, calming somewhat.  
  
"Because ... I'm still getting used to the miracle of a steady paycheque. And getting out of my parents' house. And this ... this husband thing ... it's a big step. Or ... a lot of little ones. And ... and I love you so much ... I just want ... every step to be just right."

Anya nearly melted at his words, and leaned in for a sweet, tender kiss before jerking back suddenly.

"Hey! You tricked me! Just now, w-with your fancy talk and, and lips!" she declared loudly, earning a puzzled look from Xander. "What about you not wanting me?" she asked with a gesture at her skimpy costume.

"Ahn, I spent all day hauling bits of timber that weigh more than you across a construction site today. I was very tired."

Anya looked at him shrewdly through lowered lashes.

"What about now?"

XXX

"Would you like some more hot chocolate, dear?" Joyce asked William in a motherly tone. The young boy nodded with a soft smile on his face, feeling accepted. Something in the back of his mind told him that that feeling didn't come along much.

"If it's not too much trouble."

He was actually kind of nervous. He'd been told he'd had excellent schooling, even having had half a semester of modern American university. The only problem was, he didn't remember much of it. He could read, and he still apparently had more general knowledge than either Buffy or Xander, both of whom took that declaration with grace, and the Scoobies had gathered to see what would be done with him.

Rupert would look after him, all agreed. Considering the elder Englishman was the one who had access to William's false documents, and that staying with him would explain William's legal last name being Giles as well as the English accent. A little magic from Willow and the year William was born in was pushed forward another six years, now proclaiming he was sixteen.

Then the Scoobies had applied their collective thoughts as to what should be done about William. Eventually it had been decided that William would attend high school with Dawn. This is why William was so nervous. So far he hadn't had any major problems with his amnesia but so far he'd only dealt with the Scoobies.

Going to a large place filled with people he didn't know, the possibility that he would not remember something crucial and make an absolute fool of himself worried him. Apparently his worry had showed and the Scoobies had all attempted to reassure him.

Only, that didn't go too well. Tales of vampire attacks, demonic swim teams, witches, opening Hellmouths, suicidal youths, cheerleaders and even homicidal people planning to poison the student body were told to William in an attempt to calm him. William decided that these people led far too stressful lives if they considered that calming.

Still, he would be attending the local secondary school at the end of this upcoming Thanksgiving weekend.

He watched Joyce putter about in the kitchen for a moment, before squealing and falling off his chair after something jabbed his lower back. Hard. Looking up from his new vantage point on the floor, William saw a smirking Dawn gloating over her victory as she sat in his recently vacated seat.

"Dawn." Joyce scolded as she slid a cup over the counter to her daughter and a second to William, who was now sitting on the other stool.

"What? The other seat was cold."

XXX

The still air was crisp as the seasons turned towards winter. A light breeze whistled through the cemetery, dragging the yellow leaves through the air sluggishly. Four dark figures laboured over a grave, dark earth flying through the air as they swung their shovels.

Dirt stained their black robes, pallid flesh showing at the hands but hidden by their hoods. They laboured and grunted with effort as the slung great heaps of the grave away from their target. They dug and toiled until one of them heard the weak clunk of wood hitting the coffin.

The shadowy figures turned their hoods towards an empty space at the foot of the now unearthed coffin, glimpses of their maggot-white faces visible due to a pale, unnatural light emanating from runes carved into their sewn-shut eyelids.

A fifth figure appeared out of thin air into the very spot the hooded figures were looking. Bleached platinum blond hair, a clean scar through a dark eyebrow, cold blue eyes, sharp cheekbones, soft mouth, strong shoulders, black leather duster, black t-shirt, black jeans, heavy black shit-kicker boots, standing with a confidence most couldn't pull off with word or deed, let alone simple stance.

"Only a few more now"

XXX

**A/N:**_ There it is, chapter one of a new sensation. I'm playing around with a few ideas for the future of this, as well as potential works to coincide with this one. One of these days I'm sure inspiration will strike and I'll finish the some of the others, but only thing I hate more than an unfinished fic is a crap job at finishing it. Bear with me. Or not. Still, be nice to know what you thought in a review._


	2. First days and thanksgivings

**A/N:**_ Yet more credit to my absolutely gorgeous betas, _Ezekeiel Rage_ and _Ultrawoman_ who have okayed this chapter regardless of your opinions. Let's trust their judgement, shall we? I've interspersed this William/Dawn chapter with flashbacks of a Spike/Buffy nature from the Thanksgiving just passed. Oh yeah, keep an eye out in the future for an Angel fic I plan to run that coincides with this, much like the actual series._

**Disclaimer: **_Save the baby harp seals! If they become extinct, who shall we club to death? There's only a finite number of Mormons out there..._

XXX

**First days and thanksgivings**

William was in shock. He really was. All of the stories he'd heard from his friends had prepared him from some kind of evil Mecca, as Xander had put it. He'd gone expecting to be attacked in the first five minutes, inundated with loathsome work within ten and ready to contemplate suicide within fifteen. After an afternoon with Xander, Buffy and Dawn's tutelage he was expecting, at the very least, a minor hell dimension. He really wasn't expecting something so...

Mundane. A large number of people around his age (possibly) walking, in groups and alone, into a big stone building like they did every day (presumedly. It's not like he had anything to base that on though). Tugging at his uncomfortably new denim jacket (which both Buffy and Dawn had insisted he needed, much to Rupert's distress. Apparently, William had already cost him quite a bit of money and now he was beginning to feel guilty about it) he followed Dawn as she marched him towards the headmaster's office.

He trailed behind his friend as she pointed out the major sights, cafeteria, library, courtyard. One thing that struck him was how little he was noticed. Bar a few people who stared at him disinterestedly, he was ignored. It was strangely reassuring, almost familiar.

William also found the whole experience fascinating; hundreds of young adults who supposedly hated school who turned up, day after day, and spent as much time as they could with friends. The concept seemed so very foreign, although he wasn't sure why. He didn't remember much post-spell – only vague shadows and imprints of memory, dull stars in the vast emptiness of space.

So caught up was he in his thoughts (William now suspected he was something of a poet. He'd have to look into that) he didn't notice that Dawn had halted suddenly, bumping into her and sending the poor girl sprawling to the floor.

Amidst gales of laughter (which he seemed to instinctively ignore), William helped a red-faced Dawn to her feet. William's face felt rather hot as well.

"I'm dreadfully sorry, Dawn. I- I didn't notice you'd stopped, and you know how clumsy I can get. Are you okay?" he asked worriedly, holding her hand and helping her to her feet.

"Have a nice trip, Dawnie?" a brunette girl brayed, one of the first and loudest to laugh and Dawn's fall. Dawn's eyes rolled sarcastically.

"Oh yeah, that's original Janice. What's next? Pull my finger?"

The other girl, Janice, narrowed her eyes at Dawn dangerously as a few people, who had stopped to watch the altercation, laughed at Dawn's rejoinder. Then her eyes found their way to William, raking his lean form.

"Hi, I'm Janice," the girl said as she extended a hand and flashed a bright, artificial smile at William.

"Charmed," William said with a brief smile, before turning back to Dawn. "Are you sure you're all right, Dawn?"

"I'm fine," Dawn declared, leading William off towards the principal's office once more, only stopping to flash a malevolent look at Janice who still stood dumbstruck that anyone would pick little Dawnie Summers over her.

XXX

"_Hey mom, can we help?" Buffy had asked cheerfully upon noticing her mother defrosting the turkey. _

_Only Giles had been in a position to see the brief look of fear and panic that crossed Joyce's features before a cheery, "Sure, honey." _

"_We?" Spike asked, part bemused, part horrified, part disbelieving. Buffy merely nodded firmly._

"_Yes, Spike, we." _

_Giles watched in amusement as the mixed expressions on the vampire's face melted away, leaving one: outraged disbelief._

"_I don't bloody well think so, Slayer."_

"_Why not?" Buffy demanded, hands on hips. Spike rolled his eyes._

"_I don't cook."_

"_Tonight you do," the Slayer declared somewhat smugly. Spike stood over Buffy, eyes flashing dangerously._

"_I. Don't. Bloody. Cook." he pronounced slowly. Buffy straightened, an almost evil smirk on her face._

"_You do if you ever want to get into my pants."_

_Giles nearly choked on the tea he was drinking, coughing loudly. In between his coughing fit, he dimly heard Joyce's horrified "Buffy!" as well as Dawn's exaggerated retching. After some frantic glasses cleaning, Giles looked at a now mortified Buffy. Her eyes were wide and her face bright red as she looked around at her family._

"_Did I say that out loud? Please tell me I did not just say that out loud." Spike merely grinned at her mischievously._

"_Cooking get you all hot 'n bothered, Slayer?" he asked with one raised eyebrow. Buffy sank onto one of the stools in the kitchen and buried her face in her hands._

"_Kill me now"_

XXX

"We like to create a student friendly environment here, William," the headmaster told him as he circled the chair the young Englishman sat in. He had spent the entire half hour of the interview so far watching this slightly deranged man walk around the room in erratic circles making odd hand gestures and answering his own questions.

"What classes did you take in England?" the principal asked. William opened his mouth to answer, only to have the very odd man continue on, "Yes, yes, of course. I'll have to have someone show you around to all your classes to-- what was that?"

William turned to look where the principal was looking in fear. There was nothing but a filing cabinet and a potted plant there. William turned a worried look to the principal; several of the tales of the Scoobies 'glory days' sprang to mind.

"Tch. Cheese turnips, the lot of them." The man's lower right eyelid was twitching madly. William leaned back in his chair a little. "So I'll just have my secretary go and get one of the students and they'll show you where everything is."

"Actually, sir, I do have one request, if it's not too much trouble..."

XXX

"_What the bloody hell is this?"_

"_Uhh, that's grated ginger."_

"_And why do we have grated ginger?"_

"_Because it's in the recipe."_

"_Recipe? For cranberry sauce? Doesn't that sodding stuff come in cans?"_

XXX

Dawn had shown William around for the first half of the day, and he felt indebted to her. She had informed him of several things that he didn't know or didn't remember that couldn't be passed off as being British, but she'd had an assigned class to catch up on some of the work she'd missed in the last couple of weeks and so William was left all on his own for lunch.

He sat in the back of the cafeteria, pouring over one of his new textbooks. The material was really quite interesting. So engrossed was he in his reading, not to mention his general state of obliviousness, that he had no idea that he was currently central to a large portion of the school's rumours.

It was only a matter of time before one of them decided that the gossip was better from the horses mouth, and the brave person who was risking life and limb (strangely literal in a town like Sunnydale) by talking to the new kid was Janice herself.

"Hi again," she said as she sat opposite of William. Not hearing her, his nose stayed in the book. A brief look of irritation flashed across the girl's features before she tried again. "Hey!"

William looked up, startled by the loud sound, and smiled apologetically. "Oh, hello. I'm awfully sorry about that, I was just really caught up in this book."

"Not a problem," she assured him with a warm smile. "I'm Janice, by the way."

"Oh! I'm terribly sorry. I don't know where my manners are today. I'm William Giles," the young man said, kissing the hand that had been extended for a handshake. Janice gave him an artfully pretty giggle, which he seemed to miss completely.

"You like poetry?" Janice asked after a slightly awkward moment, noticing the book he was reading was the poetry anthology from English class.

"Yes. It's emotion expressed in its most beautiful form. The English language made into art." There was another pause, this one less awkward than the last.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Janice asked suddenly. William nodded his agreement. "Are you Dawn's boyfriend?"

William looked at Janice oddly. Well, he wasn't certain but he was fairly sure they were friends and he'd been under the impression that he was obviously a boy. _What an odd question_, he thought.

"I'd like to think so," he told her after a little consideration. After all, if he were mistaken it would be irresponsible of him as well as inconsiderate to tell people they were friends. Janice stared at him in shock.

"Why? I mean, you're a cute boy but she's not that attractive-"

"I hardly think," William said stiffly, his voice taken a far more wooden tone, "that physical appearance plays any real part in what is between Dawn and I."

He gathered his books from the table and looked disapprovingly at the dumbstruck girl.

"For your information, I happen to think Dawn is an exceptionally beautiful person."

XXX

"_I'm thankful for having such wonderful people to help me fit in," William said hesitantly. He paused for a second then, "Was that right?" Everyone at the table nodded softly, and William sagged in relief._

"_I'm thankful that everyone is healthy and well," Giles said with a thinly veiled look at Joyce. She returned his gaze with a calm one of her own. The silence did not stretch out long._

"_I'm thankful that I have Tara, and all of you guys, and for school, and for there being no major badness to mess this holiday up, and even for what looks like a cure for rat Amy, so Yay me," Willow finished with a grin._

"_I'm thankful for what she said. Except the Amy part. I didn't get that," Tara said with a soft smile at her lover._

"_I'm thankful for the Constitution," Anya informed everyone. After a pause she added, "And my Xander, of course."_

"_I'm thankful for Anya, my fiancé," Xander said into a general noise of approval. After the congratulations died down, the thanksgiving continued._

"_I'm thankful that I have both my daughters, and that they have such loving, loyal friends," Joyce said after a moment, smiling warmly at the assembled youths._

"_Well, I'm thankful that I don't have a hell goddess after me this year," Dawn inserted with a wry grin._

"_I'm thankful for... a lot of things really," Buffy said. "I'm thankful that my mom's healthy again. I'm thankful that Glory is gone. I'm thankful that all of you guys are okay. I'm thankful that there isn't anything major yet. I'm thankful that I'm with Spike and I'm thankful that you're all okay with that. I'm thankful that we're all here tonight."_

"_Me?" Spike asked when everyone stared at him. He shrugged a single shoulder. "I'm just thankful I'm not tied to a bloody chair this time."_

XXX

Thirty four corpses lay around the arcane circle, candles burning with a lacklustre glow at the head and feet of each. A man stood in the centre of the circle, drawing complex symbols in the air. His greasy hair, unshaven and scarred face, one blind eye and rumpled, dirty clothes stood in sharp contrast to the immaculately clean, black robed figures standing in between each of the corpses. The man in the centre of the circle began to chant in a harsh, guttural language.

"**_Imget Hukt kopiy chetch jumehk quwd s'lek_**"

The robed figures each drew out a sharp, wickedly curved knife, slicing an intricate pattern to contrast the man's words and motions. The hiss of parted air made an oddly musical counterpoint to the clipped sounds coming from the centre of the circle.

The man in the middle of the room grew louder, his motions flailing wildly. As the crescendo reached it's peak, the robed figures arced their knives downwards, into their chests. Blood exploded towards the central figure, hitting an unseen barrier before the man himself.

As the blood swirled rapidly around the chanting man, a bleach blond figure in the shadows smiled sinisterly.

"Not long now."

XXX

**A/N:**_ I'm not sure how that chapter comes off. I wrote the flashback sequences at a different time than the school sequences and I wrote the final scene at yet another time. I have no clue how well they mesh together. Still, things will pick up soon. I can't handle things going well for my Scoobies. Something always has to go wrong. Oh yeah, please remember people: William is almost ye olde English, thus his use of the word headmaster instead of principal. This one's aimed at you, Ultra. Oh yeah. REVIEW!_


	3. Old, unwanted surprises

**A/N:**_ This is a chapter that my betas, _Ultrawoman_ and _Ezekeiel Rage_, have gone over well, pointing out a few little problems with it. It's why I use them. You guys are great. Maybe if I hadn't rewritten a few of these scenes these mistakes could have been avoided, but there you go. It's nice to get such a solid reader response, and I'll try to keep the updates reasonably regular. More reviews, faster I work._

**Disclaimer:**_ My life seems to be all happiness right now. I can't handle it, so anything that happens to my Scoobies is the indirect fault of the world around me, and not me. If the excuse is good enough for Joss..._

XXX

**Old, unwanted surprises**

"Come on, Slayer," Spike taunted as he ducked under the fledgling vamp's clumsy swing. "You can do better than that."

Buffy poked her tongue out at him before dusting her vamp with a deft punch to the chest, the creature exploding into dust as the stake punctured his heart. She leaned against the mausoleum wall and watched with a very interested eye as Spike continued to toy with his opponent.

"Hurry up, old man," Buffy teased after a few moments watching his lithe form sway around the inept attacks of the other, younger vampire. There was, after all, only so much enjoyment she could get from watching him fight when he was wearing that large duster that covered his frame almost completely.

Spike grinned savagely before driving his fist into the other vampire's head, knocking him to the ground. A hard boot to the downed demon's neck and the vampire dusted, head neatly separated from his body. Buffy raised an eyebrow archly at Spike's faux innocent expression.

"Show off."

XXX

The SUV slid to a stop on the gravel, dust still flying through the air from the vehicle's broad tires. The door opened wide and a tall man stepped out, dressed entirely in black. He looked around before gesturing to his companion in the car. Another figure dressed in black stepped out of the other side.

The two shared a look before the taller gestured to the west and sprinted off into the east, leaving the car alone on the outskirts of town, next to a sign: 'Welcome to Sunnydale'.

XXX

The Slayer and her vampire strolled through the moonlit cemetery hand in hand. Buffy was contemplating on how well her budding relationship with a vampire was going this time. Spike was wondering if he were ever going to get laid.

Still, seeing as he had already received far more than he'd ever expected, if not what he had hoped, he was not going to push her. They were snogging fairly regularly, he was not only allowed but encouraged to spend time with his Slayer and best of all, she'd said she loved him.

He wasn't so big a ponce that he'd actually bring it up, but that alone was worth more than everything else combined. Excepting his mother, the Slayer was the only one to have said that about him and meant it. Dru and Angelus had been very vocal about the fact he belonged to them, and that was a good feeling too but love was... special. That loony bint Harmony really didn't count. The girl collected wooden unicorns, and she was a vampire.

Not to say that Spike wasn't looking forward to getting in between the Slayer's legs. On the contrary, it was his largest ambition at the moment and his every idle moment was filled with speculation on the matter. Still, so long as he and his hand didn't have a falling out then he could afford to wait. After all, what's the benefit of being an immortal vampire if you're unable to wait a few short weeks for your love to get over her past hang-ups.

"Do you want..." Buffy began. Spike raked his eyes over her form, causing her to blush profusely. "Doyouwanttocomebacktomyplacetonight?"

Spike blinked. Then blinked again. Slowing the Slayer's last sentence down a lot, inserting gaps in the massive garbled word. Then he smiled. Broadly.

"Always, pet," he smiled at her. "There's just something I want to get from the crypt, so why don't you make one last sweep and I'll meet you back at the house?"

XXX

The tall figure loped through the still of the night, glancing around furtively, searching for a sign, any sign of his prey. His long stride carried him quickly through the cemetery, before he suddenly halted and stared at the ground. Kneeling, he observed something there before taking off into a new direction.

Amongst tombstones and over the damp grass the man jogged silently. After reaching the exit of the cemetery, the man scratched his head and stood for a moment, thinking or remembering, before continuing to jog down the abandoned streets.

Turning a corner suddenly, he saw his target. A short, deceptively petite blonde girl skipping along happily, wearing a tight pair of red leather pants and a black tank top. The figure continued to jog up to the girl, and when he came close she spun and connected a left jab to his chin.

As he got to his feet, he watched as the girl's hazel eyes widened in shock, and her mouth silently shaping his name.

XXX

William sat in the study, the house silent except for the scratch of his pen on the paper and the occasional rustle of Rupert's book. The young man watched, almost hypnotised by the steady flow of blue ink in the shape of cursive letters on the page. He found the entire process somewhat soothing, creating words on a blank canvas even if the words were merely the English essay due the next week.

"_Why don't you share your boyfriend with us, Dawn?" Janice taunted snidely. _

_Dawn didn't even slow as she led William across the cafeteria. Normally she would lead William around in order to avoid a scene with the highly unpleasant girl, but he had forgotten the book Rupert had lent him and they'd had to sprint back in order to even have a shot of making it to their next class on time, and to do that they'd had to go through the cafeteria._

"_He's not my boyfriend, Janice," Dawn informed her coolly as they passed the other girl and her friends._

"_That's not what he says," Janice crowed._

_Dawn halted suddenly, William nearly overbalancing in an effort to avoid bumping into her again, seeing as he did that far too often as it was._

"_Well, he's not," Dawn said harshly as she continued out of the cafeteria, not even looking back. _

William had been entirely unaware that not only had he been mistaken as to what Dawn thought of him, he had also been unaware as to how objectionable she found his friendship. He was fairly certain he'd covered his disappointment well, but he'd started withdrawing from Dawn after that day. If she found his company so unpleasant, he wouldn't force it on her.

"Will?" William turned to face Rupert, who'd put his book down. "Is... everything okay?"

"Oh, erm, yes. Yes, I suppose it is." William looked at the concerned, slightly disbelieving look on his guardian's face. "Everything is splendid. Simply splendid."

Giles settled back into his chair and opened his book again, obviously not quite mollified.

"Indeed."

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence with the two men looking at one another.

"I'll just go back to my..." Rupert said eventually with a gesture to his book. William nodded.

"And I'll..." a vague gesture to his homework. The men continued to look at one another for a minute.

"Yes."

"Quite."

Still the men looked at one another, feeling incredibly uncomfortable. When the phone rang, Rupert leapt to his feet, grateful for the distraction.

XXX

"What's wrong, honey?" Joyce asked Dawn, finally sick of watching her youngest daughter mope about the house in the same fashion that Buffy had when she had been mooning over Angel.

"Nothing," she sulked. Joyce raised an eyebrow and waited. This was obviously a romantic problem. "It's nothing!" Dawn insisted sharply. Definitely romantic.

Joyce turned off the TV and swivelled in her seat so she could face he daughter fully. "I'm all ears, honey."

"It's William," Dawn exploded after a tense moment of trying to hold it in. Joyce smiled knowingly. "He went around at school telling everyone he's my boyfriend."

"That doesn't sound like William at all," Joyce said with a frown. Dawn looked slightly sheepish.

"Okay, so maybe he only told Janice but he should know that Janice is going to warp whatever he said!"

"And how would William know that?" Joyce asked in a disapproving tone. Dawn looked at her feet miserably.

"He wouldn't," she replied despondently. "Only Janice had to make a big thing of it and now he doesn't want anything to do with me. Janice is such a primo biatch."

"Dawn!" Joyce warned, trying her hardest not to grin at the fierce expression on her daughter's face. She accepted her daughter's mumbled apology before getting up to answer the phone.

"Hello?"

"Ah, Mrs Summers, it's Rupert Giles."

"Ah, Rupert, please call me Joyce."

"Very well, Joyce. I just got a call from Buffy, and I was wondering if we could all meet at your house. Something's come up and I'd rather not go to the Magic Box."

"Of course you can, Rupert. I'll see you soon."

XXX

William had been just as relieved as Rupert when the telephone rang, breaking that awkward silence. Sadly, the feeling had been fleeting. Buffy had called Rupert and asked him to go to her house, that something had come up and it would be best if everyone found out together.

What was that saying? Out of the frying pan and into the fire. The tension in the living room was intense, mainly because he and Dawn were the only ones in it. One uncomfortable situation exchanged for an even less comfortable one.

He'd thought it might not be so bad, that maybe he'd exaggerated the whole situation in his mind. Only, when he and Rupert had arrived Dawn hadn't spoken to him, hadn't even looked at him. She was only in here with him now because neither he nor her were welcome in dining room, where Rupert, Joyce, Willow, Xander, Anya and Tara waited for Buffy.

Still, he felt that he had covered his hurt and disappointment well, his face a stoic mask.

XXX

Dawn was not a happy Key. Her mom had told her off time for being so insensitive with William, which was so totally unfair because he's the one who didn't want to spend time with her, and now she had to sit in the lounge with him sitting on the other side of the room looking all kicked-puppyish. How dare he look cute in her house?

She was gearing up to give William a piece of her mind - because he really shouldn't ignore her like this - only to be interrupted by the door opening. She jumped to her feet and saw her sister come in, looking dazed. The Scoobies quickly assembled and almost all of them froze in shock.

There were two people with Buffy. There was a tall brunette woman wearing odd, black clothes. The only skin on her body that was exposed was her face, which was fully revealed by the bun her hair had been pulled back into. But it wasn't the girl who was causing shock in all of the Scoobies except William.

The figure that had that honour was a tall man, sandy brown hair. He had soft brown eyes in an open, friendly face that was only marred by a scar running through his left eyebrow, skipping his eye and continuing to run onto his cheekbone for a couple of inches. His broad, muscular form was clothed in the same black material as the girl.

"Hey," he said into the silence when it became apparent that no-one else was planning on saying anything.

"Agent Finn returns," Dawn said with an eyebrow arched sarcastically.

XXX

"Let's hurry this up, Rack," the English figure drawled lazily. "The Destroyer's been on the scene for too long a time already, and the other players are making their moves."

"I'm going as fast as I can," Rack snarled, before shrinking back in fear from the leather-clad figure before him. Clearly, the warlock feared him. He should. "This is a delicate procedure, and it'll take a lot more power."

The peroxide blond nodded to a robed figure in the shadows who left the chamber. A pair of cloaked figures came in shortly after, dragging an unconscious boy between them. Rack stared at the boy intently, causing the smaller man's lip to curl in a feral half-smile.

"Take what you need from the boy."

Tension left Rack's body as he pressed his hands down on the boy's shoulders before the younger man arched, screaming in pain. An ecstatic look slid over the warlock's face as he drained the young man of his life, a nimbus of blue energy surrounding Rack.

An arm shot to the centre of the chamber, pointing to the space in between the ring of corpses covered in arcane symbols, and the light began to gather in a tight ball of intensely bright energy. As the last of the light left Rack, the throbbing sphere of power in the middle of the giant chamber exploded, the resulting light blinding everyone in the room.

When the light faded away, the blond figure stalked silently across the concrete floor, despite his heavy black boots. There was now a crater in the middle of the room, and he peered into it.

"Welcome to hell."

XXX

**A/N:**_ It's all about trust people. When was the last time I betrayed you? Just trust me, and review. Or the Scoobies all die in the next chapter! Well, not really. But maybe! You never know. Unless you're me. Because then you would know, being the writer. REVIEW_


	4. Everything has to be complicated

**A/N:**_ It's good to see so many new readers coming to the story but it's also a little worrying. If you are reading this before reading Crushed, please don't ask me about anything to do with the plot that is not directly left for you to salivate over in that particular chapter. Hasn't happened yet, but I'd like to avoid that whole issue as I can only refer you to Crushed. Once more, thanks to my betas, _Ezekeiel Rage_ and _Ultrawoman_, who are always prompt, thorough and honest. I hope._

**Disclaimer:**_ Why are you reading this? How dare you read this? I demand you stop this very instant! Stop it! Now! You're sick, you know that? You have a genuine problem and you should seek psychological help if you can't even stop reading an inane, off-topic and pointless disclaimer._

XXX

**Everything has to be complicated**

Buffy was still in shock. Riley was back. With Sam. His wife. Because he's married. To Sam. Like some big... married guy. Who gets married after four months of joint demon hunting? It's not natural. And what kind of name is Sam, anyway?

"...Spike." Riley's grim voice cut through the haze which Buffy found herself in. Hearing her boyfriend's name, the Slayer's head snapped up.

"Huh?" Everyone turned to look at Buffy, causing her to drop her head a little. "Sorry, what was that last bit? I missed it." A bittersweet smile passed over her former lover's face.

"I sort of figured. I remember that expression," he explained with the same bittersweet smile as his wife's hand entwined with his. "Sam and I were dispatched to Sunnydale chasing after some seriously dangerous demons."

"These things are killers," Sam cut in. "They squirt out a burning venom from... well, I don't really want to say their eyes but that's what it's like. Only..."

"Only when Sam found them, their eyes had been cut out," Riley finished. There was a pause as everyone assimilated this unsettling piece of information.

"Wait," Buffy said, "What does this have to do with Spike?"

"I went to the local demon bar," Sam supplied in a helpful tone. "Asked around. Turns out that the biggest suspect is William the Bloody, a.k.a. Spike."

"How-"

"I beat on Willy," Riley answered before Buffy could even finish her question. "Our preliminary readings show that the eyes have been moved to warehouse near the docks, and it turns out that Spike's been visiting there fairly frequently as of late."

"Why don't you guys help Giles look up these demons and see what their eyes can do?" Buffy suggested. "Outside of their bodies, I mean. I'm going to see if I can hunt down Spike."

A slight pause, then Riley and Sam nodded, and rose to go with Giles, William, Xander, Anya and Tara to the Magic Box. Willow sidled over, like a secret agent from a particularly bad B-movie.

"Just so you know?" Willow said, voice low. "I'm prepared to hate this woman any way you want."  
  
Buffy threw Sam an almost wistful look. "Thanks, but no. I don't wanna seem all petty."  
  
"Well, that's the beauty!" Willow said cheerily. "You can't, but I can." Buffy watched as her friends, her ex, and his wife all milled about on the front lawn, deciding on cars. "Please. Let me carry the hate for the both of us."

Sam's voice could just be heard from outside, "You really have a lovely home, Mrs Summers."

"Go nuts."

XXX

William was feeling a little awkward. This was okay, usually, because it was the natural state for William to be in, it seemed. It stemmed from being British, an amnesiac and something of a time traveler. One would expect to feel out of place for some considerable amount of time.

This, however, was far less pleasant than his usual undercurrent of anxiety, that he was doing something horribly embarrassing without realizing. This awkward seemed to be far more personal. His stomach seemed to be rebelling against him, and he had very little idea why. He did know one thing, though.

It revolved around Riley. William looked across the back seat of the car surreptitiously, sizing up the other man. He seemed a nice sort of chap, very friendly, earnest. Everyone else seemed to like him fine, including Rupert which said a lot. But there was just something about him that made a small ember of hate smoulder in William's chest.

"So..." Riley drawled, presumably to break the uncomfortable silence; if that was his aim, it failed. Eventually, a question that had been worming in the back of William's brain since the beginning of the five minute car trip forced it's way out of him.

"So, you used to go out with..." William trailed off, feeling far too intrusive. An uncomfortable look appeared on the other man's face.

"Yeah. It... didn't end too well."

William just nodded as though he knew what Riley was talking about. If he were in the mood to be honest, he might have mentioned that no-one had told him anything. If he were so inclined, William may have just mentioned that it was his instinctive intuitiveness which divined this piece of knowledge. However, William was not so inclined. In point of fact, after the answer he just received that small ember of hatred suddenly flared into a raging bonfire.

Not that Riley noticed. William was still far too British for the other man to have any clue as to what he was feeling.

William briefly wondered why everyone had been so accepting of the relationship, but he brushed the speculation off. He, almost clearly, remembered weddings between people younger than Dawn and Riley had been, so he really had no right to judge what relationships were acceptable in this time.

XXX

Spike was rummaging through the sarcophagus where he stashed his most valuable possessions, like his spare bottle of scotch, when he smelled the intoxicating musk of Slayer, of Buffy. _His_ Buffy. The idea still sent shivers down his spine. He'd swear it almost made his heart beat.

"What's this, Slayer?" Spike asked in a jovial tone as he dropped the blanket down, concealing the assortment of items in the sarcophagus. "Couldn't wait?"

The drop-dead-sexy (pun intended) grin on the vampire's face melted away at the troubled expression on Buffy's. He took a few short steps to cross the crypt and ran his fingertips lightly across Buffy's cheek.

"What's wrong, pet?" There was a brief moment where Buffy considered what she would say next.

"Are you planning to do anything... evil?"

Spike smirked. "You'd want to be a mite more specific love. There're a few things I plan to do to you later that are downright evil."

Buffy threw him a withering look. "I mean like bad, Hellmouthy, destroy the world, summon evil demons evil?" All traces of amusement drained off Spike's face when he saw how tense Buffy was. He stepped in even closer, invading her body space, and tilted her chin so she was looking him in the eye.

"Buffy. Love. You're my world. You're the reason I keep on existing. I would never do anything like that, because it would mean losing you and worse still, hurting you."

Buffy made a little happy mewl, before Spike's lips descended onto hers. The kiss was a gentle one, lips barely brushing each other, until Buffy leaned forward a little and her breasts brushed Spike's chest. The vampire groaned in a low voice, before deepening the kiss considerably.

Time seemed to fade into nothingness for Spike. All that existed was the warm Slayer pressed tight into his body, her sweet, soft lips, her short, intoxicating breaths, her moist, dextrous tongue. He dimly registered Buffy sliding his duster off as she pushed him back towards the sarcophagus but he managed to whip his shirt off when Buffy stopped for air.

The undressing halted when Buffy began inching him back to the wall, her warm hands running all over his back. Spike slid a hand under Buffy's shirt and was in the process of unhooking her bra when the door to his crypt burst open. Buffy sprang away from Spike guiltily, revealing a very interesting visitor.

"Well, looky here." Spike drawled, looking directly at Riley. "I don't usually use the word delicious..." his eyes raked over Buffy's dishevelled form, "...but I've gotta wager this little tableau must sting a bit, eh? Me and your former? Must kill. What can I say? Girl just needs a little monster in her man."  
  
Riley winced almost imperceptibly, recalling Spike's words so long ago. "That's not why I'm here ... Spike."  
  
"Oh god," Buffy moaned, before hurrying into a dim corner of the crypt to tidy herself up.  
  
"Here I thought we'd run you out of town, mate," Spike continued, hooking his thumbs behind his belt buckle which, miraculously, hadn't been undone. "Last time I saw you, if memory serves, you were getting the juice sucked out of you by some undead ladies of very questionable reputation. Now, be a good tin soldier and, uh..." Spike made a negligent, shooing motion.  
  
"Where are they Spike?" Riley continued in a wooden tone.  
  
"Where are what, and why do you keep talking like that?" Spike asked in a very puzzled tone. Captain Cardboard here usually got a little more riled than this.  
  
"Glad to be back in Sunnydale," Riley said in a conversational tone. "The locals all speak English, and I know who to beat for information. It's all brought me here."  
  
"Look, Crew Cut," Spike said, rolling his eyes. "She's not your bint any more. And if I can speak frankly, she always had a little thing for me, even when she was shagging you."  
  
"Nice," Riley grimaced in distaste. "That's very distracting. Now tell me, before I get unprofessional... ...where are the eyes, Spike?"  
  
"Eyes?" Spike scoffed. "You're off your nut. It must be those drugs they were keeping you on. I did warn you."  
  
"Okay," Riley said, dropping the façade. "We can do this the hard way, or we can do this the fatal way." Riley punched Spike in the face, sending the vampire stumbling back. "Where are the eyes?"  
  
"Hey!" Buffy snapped. "Look, the eye taking guy? It can't be Spike."  
  
"No need to defend me, love," Spike said, a pleased grin fixed on his face.

"It's just Spike, Riley," she continued, ignoring the vampire.  
  
"Right," Riley agreed. "Deadly ... amoral ... Opportunistic." Spike swelled under the praise. "Or have you forgotten? I'm taking this place apart until I find those eyes."  
  
"Over my dead body," Spike stated, stepping in the way of the larger man. Riley threw a sickened look at Spike's chest.  
  
"I've seen enough of your dead body for one night, thanks," he said as he pushed the vampire out of the way and dropped downstairs. Spike glared after the departed soldier for some time before a horrible realisation dawned.

"You believed him," Spike accused, looking at a very uncomfortable Buffy. "That's what earlier was all about, wasn't it?" The guilty look on her face was more answer than necessary. "Bugger this," he said as he started to leave.

"Spike, wait!" Buffy cried, gripping his hand.

"Tell me one thing, Slayer," Spike said without turning around. "Did you believe him when he said it was me?"

When Buffy didn't answer Spike pulled his hand from her grip and stalked off into the night.

XXX

"I don't see why we have to do this," Anya complained to Xander as they 'snuck' along behind the others.

"Because these eye things summon big bad demons, An" Xander patiently explained.

"And?"

"They'll kill people if we don't stop them!" There was a slight pause.

"So?"

Xander sighed, frustrated already with his fiancé's inability to grasp even the most basic form of human compassion if she didn't somehow benefit from it.

"Guys!" Riley hissed, sotto voco. "This is it, keep it down."

The soldier put a black device against the door, there was a strange humming noise, before the lock snapped and the door opened. Buffy, Riley and Sam slunk inside noiselessly, followed far less gracefully by Willow, Tara, Giles, William, Xander and Anya, all bearing some form of crossbow, axe or sword.

The hallway was dim, and Buffy, Sam and Riley were almost at the end of it. The assembled Scoobies followed somewhat slower, double checking all the side rooms to make sure there wasn't anything lurking behind them.

As he neared the door where Buffy and the others were waiting, Xander smelt a sickly sweet aroma that caused his stomach to churn. It smelled of incense and death.

Bursting the door open quickly, Buffy ran point, flanked by Riley and Sam, while the rest of the Scoobies slowly edged their way into the room. What they saw sickened even the most hardened of them.

Around thirty corpses lay in a scattered circle around a shallow crater, and weird symbols were carved into their flesh that made Xander's eyes ache unpleasantly. About five of the corpses looked somewhat eaten, and the reason why lifted it's ugly head out of the stomach of an eight or nine year old girl's corpse.

Sharp, blood covered fangs jutted out of a mouth big enough to swallow a man's head whole. It's broad, muscular shoulders were covered in a myriad of sickening pustules and boils, oozing pus and blood slowly down it's sides. It's beady green eyes glowed and swirled in a nauseating fashion, and it's four arm-like legs were tipped with sharp claws.

It began to lumber towards the Scoobies with an awkward gait, and the Scoobies fanned out slowly. Buffy hefted her axe and darted in suddenly, causing the creature to roar and bat her away as though she were a child.

Riley and Sam were next, swinging their tazers wildly in the hope of hitting this thing without getting hit. Giles fired his crossbow, the bolt embedding itself deep in the creatures hide and not even eliciting a grunt. Willow and Tara grasped hands and began to chant in Latin, attempting some sort of spell.

When Riley was hurled away like a rag doll, both William and Xander rushed in, wielding their sword and axe like madmen. Giles fired another crossbow bolt into the things side, doing nothing, then handed the weapon to Anya and charged in with his sword.

Whatever this thing was, it was quick and it was strong. Buffy began to rise about the same time as Xander managed to embed his axe in the creature's leg, the growths on it's body exploding in a flash of bile coloured ichor that covered the carpenter.

Anya screamed and dropped the crossbow and her baseball bat in favour of running to her love, who was rolling around on the floor and scrubbing frantically at his skin where the demon ichor had touched.

Riley rejoined the fight, and William, Giles, Riley, Sam and Buffy all danced around the thing's lethal claws and almost blindingly quick reflexes, unable to attack. The Wicca's chanting reached a climax, and blue light surrounded the beast before it exploded outwards again, seemingly having no effect.

William ducked under a claw and hurled his sword with all his might, embarrassingly missing any target on the thing, but it still earned him a side bump that sent him sliding across the dusty floor. He looked up, saw Willow and Tara begin another chant and noticed how tired Giles was getting, and skittered over the floor to pick up the crossbow.

He cocked it with great difficulty, and waited for an instant that seemed to stretch forever before letting the bolt fly with a twang. The demon roared and its flailing grew more fevered as the crossbow bolt penetrated it's eye, but it kept fighting.

It was blinded enough, though, to allow Giles to score a grazing hit across the same leg where Xander's axe was stuck. More ichor flowed, and as it lumbered towards the Watcher, Buffy slammed her axe in it's neck and danced out of the way of the blood that spurted from the wound.

Riley and Sam both took advantage of it's pain and disorientation and slammed their tazers in it's throat, the electricity scorching the things skin. It collapsed to the ground just as Willow and Tara's spell finished and it burst into purple flames.

"Whoops," Willow tittered, embarrassed by the sudden and extraneous magic. William skipped over to help Anya lift Xander, who was already trying to shake his fiancé off, claiming he was fine now, it just tingled a little. As William stepped over it's wounded leg, it roared back to life, throwing William head first into the wall. The creature struggled to rise, before it's wounded leg gave out and it collapsed on the ground, thrashing weakly.

Buffy grasped a large 2x4 and jabbed it into the beast's head, it's skull exploding with the force of the impact. The Slayer looked down at her now ruined outfit.

"Why does this always happen to my favourite shirts?"

XXX

William was feeling the third wheel again. Well, eleventh wheel to be more exact but he was fairly sure the analogy didn't have the same impact when you said it like that. Plus, he was feeling slightly dizzy after the fight, and the cut on his forehead was throbbing in time to his pulse. He'd have to get Rupert to tutor him in weapons or something, considering Anya handled herself better than him.

"Well, the wedding itself was held in a military chopper just before a hairy night drop into hostile territory," Sam was telling Xander and Anya while she and her husband were waiting for for their extraction chopper.  
  
"Huh," Xander murmured, obviously impressed. "And just curious, what's a chopper rental run these days?"  
  
"Oh, well, actually, we commandeered it from a local guerilla squad, so ... Cheap!" Sam joked. There was a moment when both Xander and Anya blinked, before,  
  
"Oh!"  
  
"Yeah," Sam said laughingly, before turning to Willow. "You have my email, you promise you'll keep in touch?"  
  
"You won't get traced?" Willow asked nervously. "I don't wanna lead the bad guys to your location by mistake."  
  
"Our line's secure." Sam said with an indulgent smile.  
  
"Oh, huh, duh, of course it is!" Willow exclaimed cheerfully. "I keep thinking of you like regular people, but no, you're not."  
  
"Oh, right, like demon-hunting is all exotic to a girl from Sunnydale," Sam countered, grinning just as much as Willow was. William noticed that Dawn and Riley were saying goodbye, and suddenly realised how uncomfortable he felt standing here.  
  
"So you gonna say goodbye this time, or just... split all secret-agenty like last time?" William heard Dawn ask, and he felt his hatred for Riley burn brighter. The man just _left_?  
  
"Depends," Riley said seriously. "I warrant a hug?" He held his arms open and William almost swallowed his tongue when Dawn stepped in and squeezed the big man tight. "Goodbye, Dawn."  
  
"I thought it would suck less this time," Dawn said quietly. "It doesn't."  
  
The helicopter became deafening as it hovered just above the Summers' house, and a thing black cord dropped to the ground a few metres from Riley and Sam.

"It was really nice meeting you all," Sam said with a warm smile before looking at her husband and asking in a mock serious voice, "You ready for Nepal, agent?"  
  
"Fire-fights, bug hunts, big body counts ... yeah, I could use a break."  
  
The married couple both gripped tightly onto the cord and waved with their free hand as they were pulled into the helicopter.  
  
"Bye! Bye Riley! Bye Sam!" Xander yelled over the whir of the propellers.

"Bye!" Willow screamed excitedly, waving like a mad woman. Everyone watched as the helicopter flew off into the distance, and then Willow noticed Buffy and gave a visible start. Her face had an expression of blind panic for a brief moment, looking between the Slayer and the just departed helicopter.  
  
"What a bitch," Willow said, indicating Sam with a grim nod toward the helicopter. Buffy just smiled weakly and everyone began to go back home.

XXX

"I hunger," a deep voice rumbled. Rack started, finding both it's voice and it's energy chilling. He was still unsure what exactly he had summoned, but that was the first thing it had said ever since it was pulled out of the crater.

"What's your problem?" The bleached blond man called out as he entered the dark room.

"I hunger," the thing rumbled again. The leather-clad figure snapped his fingers and one of the cloaked men whipped out it's knife and plunged it into Rack's neck. As the warlock fell to the ground, his eyes only showing surprise, two more of the robed men came up and the three of them hurled the fresh corpse into the pitch-black corner.

"Then eat."

XXX

**A/N:**_ A very long chapter there. I'm not sure if many, all or any will be that long in future. It depends on how I want the action to go, really. I'd like you to review, tell me what you think of such a long chapter. Sometimes I cut scenes because I feel they drag it out too long, but if the length doesn't bother you then maybe some of them can stay. Besides, I want more William praise. Isn't he just the cutest? Oh yeah, I... ahem... borrowed a few lines from As You Were. So REVIEW!_


	5. The truth is never what it seems

**A/N:**_ I have an inkling that there are people out there reading this story and not reviewing. Poor form. It takes you two, three minutes, tops, to send me a review and let me know you're appreciating my work. Remember people, I don't get paid for this and it would be easier by far to just not do it. Review, and make my day a good one. To my betas, _Ezekeiel Rage_ and _Ultrawoman_, I give my thanks for their speedy return of my work. Also, thanks to my boyfriend for the card's message... even if he doesn't really read these stories._

**Disclaimer:**_ These disclaimers have about as much relevance to my stories as a picture of me posing naked on a bed, wearing nothing but a novelty Sylvester hat, and that's got pretty much no relevance. And NO in advance. I will not be sending those pictures to anyone..._

**The truth is never what it seems**

The Slayer sat on her bed and stared at the manila envelope in her hands. She teased the corner of the flap, before pressing it flat again. It had been the last thing Riley had given her before he left again, and she wasn't sure if she should open it.

"_Buffy, I understand that I'm not the guy you want to hear this from. It'd be the last thing I'd want to hear as well, but Spike is dangerous. I'm not going to tell you to stop seeing him. I'm not even going to ask. I gave up the right to do that when I left last time."_

_Riley paused and smiled sadly, recognising the stubborn look on his former lover's face._

"_Here," he said, pushing a large manila envelope into her hands. "You don't have to open this. If you really want to trust Spike... These are some surveillance shots from an operative we got to watch the warehouse."_

Once again Buffy played with the opening before chickening out and closing it tight again. This wasn't like her, to be so uncertain and worried, and it frustrated her no end that she couldn't help acting like this.

Wouldn't that just beat all, though? She loved Angel and he turned evil then she had to kill him. She had feelings for Parker, and he dumped her the next day. She had loved Riley and he had left her too. Now it looked as though the same sort of thing was happening again.

Buffy grimaced at her own feelings and roughly tore the envelope open. Five large glossy pictures fell onto the bed. Picking them up, any hope that the pictures weren't clear were dashed. There was Spike, identifiable through duster and hair if nothing else, entering the warehouse; opening the door; through the window; exiting the run-down building; stalking away down the street.

Putting the pictures back in their container and ignoring the uncomfortable prickling behind her eyes, Buffy got off her bed, grabbed her jacket and sprinted downstairs then out the door. She strode through Sunnydale on her way to Spike's crypt. He could explain this. He would explain this. He'd better explain this.

Only stopping to dust an exceptionally stupid vampire, even by Sunnydale standards -- because really, who tries to take on the Slayer with their hands handcuffed behind their back? -- Buffy made it to Spike's in almost record time. Kicking the door open, her eyes raked the darkness for the vampire. Not seeing anyone in the upper section, she dropped into the underground chamber.

The place was wrecked. The bed was torn apart, the sheets had been ribboned, the dresser had been emptied and the clothes strewn about the floor. The only thing not damaged or destroyed in some way was a candle. Buffy was so dismayed by the carnage that had been wrought in the room that she nearly missed seeing Spike, standing in the shadow of the sewer access.

"Spike, what happened here? Were you attacked?" Buffy asked, still trying to place what had happened in here. The vampire snorted loudly.

"Could say that, pet," he murmured, not moving from his place in the shadows. "Your giant Boy Scout tore it up looking for some bloody eye things." He stepped into the weak candle light in the room. "Expect he'll be back later when he thinks of somewhere else I might have put them."

"He won't. We killed what the eyes summoned and Riley left town," Buffy informed him absently, looking around the trashed room again. The mess seemed worse now, for some reason. More... intimate in the most unpleasant way possible.

"Oh, I see," he muttered darkly. Buffy looked at him quizzically. "Soldier boy comes back to town and Spike's not necessary anymore."

Buffy felt her irritation and suspicion blossom into something ugly inside her. "You weren't even around to be asked! And with the whole eye thing-"

"I bloody told you!" Spike exploded. "I didn't have anything to do with the sodding eyes!"

"Then what were you doing in a warehouse at the docks?" Buffy yelled back. The vampire's eyes widened and there was a brief flare of panic in them before his face closed off. "I have pictures."

She tossed the envelope at Spike, who briefly glanced at the glossy pages before dropping them on the floor. He turned an emotionless stare at Buffy, and she felt as though her heart was breaking. She was losing another one.

"Explain those," she said with a flip gesture at the photos, none of her inner turmoil showing in her voice. She tensed slightly as he reached into the pocket of his duster. He fished around for a moment before pulling out a key.

"First door on the left, under the concrete slab," he stated emotionlessly, throwing the key to Buffy and walking down the sewer. Buffy looked at the small metal key in the palm of her hand. There really was only two options; see what Spike was on about, or stake him now. It wasn't really a choice at all.

Her mind was almost blank on her way to the docks, too afraid of the potential consequences of this volatile situation. She quickly arrived at the warehouse, surprisingly not attacked once. She wandered into the room just left inside the entryway, and immediately noticed a concrete slab slanted against the wall. Hefting the heavy plate, Buffy saw a small metal box.

Fitting the key into the padlock, the Slayer lifted the lid to reveal a small package and a white envelope. Picking up the package, wrapped poorly in festive paper with Christmas trees on it, Buffy tore the paper off it to uncover a velvet box, which opened to show it contained a delicate gold pendant. In awe, Buffy picked up the fine chain and examined the pendant. A single, small diamond sat in a circle of gold, beautiful and elegant in it's simplicity.

Dazedly, Buffy picked up the envelope. Inside was a card with the nativity scene on the front. Opening the card, she read;

_Buffy,_

_I've spent 120 years hiding from the light,_

_And you give me the sun with every smile._

_Merry Christmas._

_Love, Spike_

Feeling a distinctive sting in her eyes, Buffy returned the card to the envelope and noticed a scrap of paper in there too. Pulling it out, she saw it was a receipt for the pendant. She realised she'd made a horrible mistake.

XXX

"Rupert?" William asked in the first lull in the conversation. He felt distinctly uncomfortable when he got the attention of Rupert, Joyce and Dawn all at once. "If it isn't too much bother, I'd like you to give me some formal weapons training, so I can be of more help."

"Of course, Will," Rupert murmured, obviously surprised by William's sudden interest in violence. Joyce patted his hand reassuringly and offered everyone another round of tea. As William declined, Dawn made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat.

"This is so unfair," she complained. "Why does he get training and I don't?"

"Because," Joyce said emphatically. "Rupert is his guardian and he feels that William is prepared. I'm your mother and I say you're not."

"But mom!" Dawn wailed.

"But nothing, young lady!"

"Oh my God! This is so unfair!"

Dawn stormed from the dining room and stomped upstairs. William finished his tea as Joyce and Rupert shared an indulgent smile over teenage theatrics. Excusing himself, William went upstairs and rapped his knuckles on the back of Dawn's door.

"What?" she called out surlily.

"It's me," William informed her, making no move to open the door.

Dawn sighed heavily, audible through the door. "Come in."

"Is there anything I can do?" William asked, his eyes firmly focussed on the floor. After all, it simply couldn't be proper to watch a young lady in bed if you weren't betrothed or wed.

"Haven't you done enough?" she asked bitterly. William remained silent, unsure of what to say. "I shouldn't blame you. It's not your fault," she sighed. "It's never your fault, but you're always there."

William bristled slightly at the tone. "I'm sorry-" he began stiffly.

"It's easy to be sorry when you get to learn how to fight, isn't it?" she asked him acerbically. William felt a muscle in his cheek twitch slightly, and part of him dimly noticed how very frustrated he was. "Just get out." He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Get out! _Get out! GET OUT!"_

XXX

"We're out, fellas," Warren declared with no small amount of satisfaction. "We did it! We beat the law!"

Jonathan and Andrew shared an uncomfortable look. "Uhh, man?" Jonathan began. "How did we beat the law? They just let us out."

"Didn't they tell you to never look a gift horse in the mouth, Sparky?" Warren asked rhetorically. The Trio began the hike to the bus stop in silence. After fifteen minutes, Andrew's fidgeting grew to almost epileptic proportions. "What?"

"Umm, maybe it was just me," he began. "But when I was in the showers--" Andrew's sentence was cut short dramatically by Warren's fists gripping his shirt roughly.

"We never, _ever_ speak about anything that happened in there!" Warren hissed dangerously. Andrew gulped and nodded.

"So, is this like, on a need to know basis? Because--"

"Dude, just shut the hell up."

XXX

The liquor burned as the shot went down and the glass hit the bar with a sharp crack. Spike gestured for the bartender to fill it again, tossing it back as though it were water. His heart felt as though it were being shattered into a million pieces with every breath and even the usually blessed haze of alcohol was eluding him tonight.

He let out a snort as he realised that the Slayer had driven him to drink again. She had been the cause, both directly and indirectly, of every single bout of drunkenness Spike had experienced in the last five years. Five years! That was almost laughable. Drusilla, Spike's dark princess herself, had been unable to drive him half so batty as the Slayer despite the fact she actually was barmy and she'd had a hundred years to do it.

For some reason the last five years seemed infinitely more real than all of the time before; more real than his life as the poncy poet, more real than his time as the slayer of Slayers, more real than his persona as the Big Bad. Buffy was his reality, because he loved her with everything he had. And she trusted her ex, who'd been visiting vamp whores to get a real suck job before he'd abandoned her.

His lip twisting in an ironic and deeply bitter smirk, Spike slid some notes across the table and ordered the bottle. It would be simpler by far to just consume the alcohol straight from the bottle. It wasn't going anywhere else tonight.

Taking a swig from the bottle, Spike sauntered outside before realising he had nowhere to go. His crypt was completely trashed and the Slayer sure as hell didn't want him around her mum's place. For lack of a better plan, he dropped down on the footpath and started to drink from his bottle of whiskey in long pulls.

By the time the bottle was almost empty the world seemed a much blurrier place, but it wasn't any happier. In fact, Spike had started to get mightily pissed off and when he heard two stupid vamps blundering out of Willy's he decided that a spot of violence would do him good. He staggered to his feet then frowned, puzzled by the fact that he still appeared to be sitting down.

"Oi, you!" Spike bellowed drunkenly, hurling his whiskey bottle at the bearded one. "Tha's righ', ya pillocks. I'll rip ya guts out an' hang ya wi' 'em," he slurred. He grinned and felt his demonic face slide over his features, preparing for the upcoming fight. Now, if only the world would stop tilting so dramatically, he would give these two wankers a right seeing to.

He swayed unsteadily as the two vamps lumbered towards him only to blink as a flash of motion passed in front of him and the vampires exploded into dust. The surprise caused Spike to fall back on his ass and the world seemed to be full of white noise suddenly. Through the near-deafening wall of noise, the vampire heard a shrill, familiar voice and he struggled to hear it.

"-were twice your size, and you're drunk! They would have beaten you up badly, or maybe even dusted you," the not-quite-recognizable voice complained, "and I wouldn't have even known!"

All of Spike's memories of the night rushed back at the catch in the Slayer's voice. Spike smiled bitterly. "Like you'd bloody care, Slayer," he spat, feeling the grim satisfaction of scoring a hit, but none of the old glee that came with hurting his Slayer. The Slayer. Made it abundantly clear she wanted no part of him.

"I would," she pouted, obviously hurt. Spike scoffed loudly. "Look, I'm sorry for not trusting you," she murmured in a quiet, solemn voice. "I should have, I know. It's just that... I'm afraid." Spike goggled dazedly at the odd confession. "I've been in love exactly twice before, and both times my heart got stomped on. I was afraid that was going to happen with us." The vampire continued to stare drunkenly, struggling to comprehend this turn of events. "I'm still afraid, but I love you and I want to trust you."

Spike's vampiric constitution was rapidly breaking down the alcohol in his system, and his cognitive ability seemed at least partially restored as his addled brain finally figured out what the Slayer was saying.

"And you think that makes it right, then?" he asked to the obvious surprise of Buffy. Too bloody bad. "You come around here, say you love me and everything's all peaches and cream again? I don't bloody think so." The look on Buffy's face was one of pure shock. Clearly the idea that he might refuse her had not occurred to her. "I have my pride, y'know?"

"I..." Buffy's mouth worked silently for a moment. "I understand," she muttered emotionlessly, slowly backing away. Spike's resolve to put her through the kind of hell she sent him through this time dissolved, and, after one false start, he jogged up behind her and gripped her arm, spinning her about to face him.

"Clearly, you don't," he said gruffly. "That whole pride thing was pretty much a smoke screen."

The Slayer looked at her vampire love, her eyes shining bright with hope. She stared into his eyes, and was apparently pleased with what she saw there as her body sagged visibly in relief.

"Oh, thank God."

XXX

The dark-skinned demon flexed It's powerful muscles absently, lost in thought. There was a large power near the Destroyer and this did not bode well for It's plans. This could be nothing but a disturbance. It's talons slashed out, catching one of the black-robed figures and skewering it before devouring the departing soul and feasting on the flesh.

The power of the Hellmouth boiled beneath It's feet, making discerning the power in this pitiful world harder to accomplish. All that could be determined clearly was the Destroyer, this new power, the being that summoned It and the Hellmouth itself. Champions on the side of Good could be felt dimly, but little more than their existence could be sensed due to the active Hellmouth.

The new power suddenly disappeared, and the momentary relief It felt disappeared almost as fast, because it hadn't disappeared alone. It had taken the Destroyer with it.

XXX

**A/N:**_ Another longish one, there. I have taken Two Weeks and School Hard off my profile, as I do not see myself updating them anytime soon. I will eventually get around to doing Two Weeks, though. I also have a website which can be reached by going to my profile page and selecting Homepage. Obviously. Review, and let me know what you think of this still._


	6. Best laid plans

**A/N:**_ I've had a pretty poor response to the last chapter. This chapter has been long in the coming because of it. I'm not so snippy as to stop writing because I don't get reviews, but if I don't get a good response I don't get enthusiastic about the next chapter, and it muddles along slowly. I'm reasonably sure that there are more than five people reading this, and I'd like you lot to give me some feedback. Once more, thanks to _Ultrawoman_ and _Ezekeiel Rage_, both of whom do an exceptional job._

**Disclaimer:**_ I would totally worship a giant chicken with a pink butt. Totally._

XXX

**Best laid plans**

William was in pain. It was horrible. He'd never felt anything this terrible in his life, he was sure of it, and it was all Rupert's fault. His training regime had begun the day before, after school in the back room of the Magic Box. It had comprised mostly of stretches and a few simple weapon drills, and William had been a little stiff only now his muscles burned with cramps, and any motion made him ache.

With a low moan, William grabbed the four books on weapons that Rupert had asked him to get from the school library and tottered painfully towards the door. Turning the corner, he collided with a moving pile of books, falling down in shock and watching the stack of books fall the other way, revealing a slight young woman with glasses that appeared far too large on her thin face, making her look slightly owlish. Short brown hair surrounded her face, making her head seem a touch too large for her body.

"Oh, I'm so--"

"I'm terribly--"

"--couldn't see over the books--"

"--watching where I was going--"

"--should have been more careful--"

"--all my fault, really--"

"--hope I didn't hurt you--"

"--hope you and your books are okay--"

"--shouldn't have been going too fast--"

"--all the time--"

"--made you late--"

"--your afternoon--"

"--you mad? I'd be mad if I were you--"

"--really all my fault--"

"--I'm sorry" the pair finished their rambling apologies at the same time, before both blushed and began to pick up books. They gathered half each, and the girl looked at the pile of books in William's hand resignedly, before gesturing shyly that he could give them to her.

"Why don't I carry these?" he asked gallantly. The girl's eyes opened comically wide.

"But you were just coming out of the library," she exclaimed quietly, shaking her head. "I don't want to be in any trouble."

"It- it's no trouble," William assured her, balancing the books precariously in one hand and adjusting his glasses He tilted his head towards the library and she passed him with a grateful smile. William followed, wincing in pain when his sore muscles pulled painfully.

The pair wound their way through the messy library, coming to a halt at the back of the room, where the slight girl dropped all her books on an empty table.

"You can just leave them there," she whispered, pointing to the space next to the stack she'd just put down. "Thanks for that."

"No trouble at all," William reiterated. "I'm William Giles," he added as an afterthought, recalling that it was considered polite to introduce oneself to a lady.

The girl stared at him for a blank moment, obviously mortified. "I'm…" William smiled reassuringly. "I'm Beth. Elizabeth, really, but everyone calls me Beth." They shook hands, and William's eyes drifted to the book on top of the first pile.

"Wordsworth?" he asked, more to himself than her. She tucked her hair behind her ears and ducked her head a little.

"I- I like poetry," she said softly, eliciting an interested look from the English boy.

"Really? Do you prefer free verse or more structured works?" he asked, excited to finally find someone with whom he could share this interest. Dawn and Spike were the only other options for William. Spike was excluded from that list because William valued his fingers. Dawn because… just because.

"I like them both, but probably free verse. It's expression at it's best," Beth whispered animatedly. William smiled warmly.

"Of course, but there is a mathematical symmetry and beauty to more structured verse which, I feel, more than-- is that the time?" he asked suddenly, catching sight of the clock on the wall. Beth nodded. "Bugger! I'm late then," he told the slightly shocked girl. He looked at the piles of books on the table. "Do you know which books would be mine?" He waited for her nod before continuing. "Then perhaps I could see you in here tomorrow at lunch time?"

"Oh. Okay," Beth murmured, eyes large as William frantically hobbled off to meet Giles.

XXX

Giles swung the staff at William's head in a tight arc, the wood clacking loudly as the boy managed to bring his staff up to block only to be caught by Giles' follow-through, hooking the back of William's knee. The young man sprawled on the floor uncomfortably while he caught his breath before heaving himself to his feet.

"I think we've done enough for today, Will," Giles said, taking pity on the boy's obvious pain. He got a grateful smile in return for his kindness as William put away his part of the training equipment. It was really quite surprising, how well William adapted to combat. Though, Giles mused, it probably shouldn't be. After all, Spike was, at one stage, William.

What was remarkable was the lack of complaint from the young man. Giles pushed him almost as hard as he had Buffy, back when she still trained with him, and while he was obviously in pain and the pace was often punishing him, he never complained. It was a highly refreshing change for the Watcher. Giles felt a rush of paternal pride as he watched the young man surreptitiously rub his sore muscles, his knowledge of the pain he'd be in tomorrow not deterring him once.

As the elder man undid his safety equipment he felt a sharp pull on his muscles, causing him to realise he wasn't in the best shape either. Ever since Buffy and Spike had taken to patrolling together-- no, before that. After he got fired from the Council he'd stopped honing himself, trusting that Buffy would be able to look after herself well enough. It was remiss of him, both as her Watcher and as her friend.

"Rupert?"

"Yes?" Giles replied after starting out of his reverie. William had a thoughtful look on his face, one of those that rarely boded well.

"Christmas is coming up, and I was wondering if I could have a job here at the Magic Box so I could get some money and you're easier to approach about this sort of thing." At Giles' look, he elaborated. "Anya can be scary."

Giles suppressed a snort of laughter, amused at Will's fear and relieved at the mundane problem he wished to resolve --after all, living on a Hellmouth does promote a healthy case of paranoia-- and ushered the young man into the main part of the shop.

"Well, we'll have to okay it with Anya as you'll be working mainly with her," Giles told him, enjoying the apprehensive expression on his face wholly too much. "I'm sure we'll be able to put you to work."

XXX

"You want me to take you out on a date, love?" Spike asked incredulously.

"Yes, a date," Buffy reiterated. "Is that so hard?" she pouted as they wandered back to the Magic Box from patrol.

"Not hard at all, pet," the vampire assured her. "Just a bit of a surprise is all."

"Oh?" the Slayer exclaimed sharply. "So I wouldn't want to be taken on dates, then? I suppose I just want to go to your crypt and get 'shagged'?"

"I didn't say that," Spike replied carefully, half afraid of the volatile Slayer. "I'd love to take you out on a date, love. I'm just not sure how to handle your mum."

"What do you mean, handle my mom?" Buffy asked, her anger already forgotten.

"Well, it's not like I can go up to her and say, 'I'm here to pick up your daughter for a night on the town and a nice, long shag', can I?" he asked with a sardonically raised eyebrow. Buffy stifled a giggle.

"Can't you just use your old timey manners?" At Spike's blank look, she elaborated. "You know, from William's time?"

"William's a bloody ponce. Closest thing I ever got to courting someone was with Dru, and I don't think your mum would appreciate those manners. She doesn't seem to be the sort who'd appreciate a still warm human heart."

XXX

Dawn took a large, calming breath and checked her outfit one more time. Her best pair of jeans, her favourite top, the pair of shoes that looked killer even though they really, really hurt to wear. Right, okay. Everything still on, no walking through the cafeteria with no clothes on. Pinch, check. Not a dream ergo not a nightmare. She worriedly checked her hair in the trophy case reflection one last time, before walking through the large double doors.

"_Do we have any of that microwave cookie mix?" Dawn asked as she rummaged through the pantry, the left-overs from her binge thus far strewn across the table; an empty bag of cookies, a hollowed out pint of ice cream, an empty box of pop tarts and a plate with the chocolate smears, all that remained of some brownies._

_Buffy looked at the mess on the table, then at her sister. "Ask him out, already."_

As she walked through the big, crowded room -- a small part of her mind noting, with no small satisfaction, that she had caught the eye of a few of the boys in the room -- she felt an unpleasant sensation in the pit of her stomach. It was like there were a bunch of butterflies in there, all of whom had just been on the roller coaster and were now throwing up and flying around in circles, bumping into one another drunkenly.

Dawn didn't know why. She was only going to ask him out for a coffee or something. Test the waters, so to speak. Like dipping your toe in the bath water to see if it's hot or cold or just right. And it's not like she and William had never had coffee before. Okay, so it was, but that was mostly because they didn't drink coffee. Well, Dawn didn't. Maybe Will did, and that's why he didn't speak to her any more? Maybe he thought she was prejudiced against coffee drinkers!

When she laid eyes on the young man in question, sitting in his usual spot against the wall, absently scribbling in some book or other, the hysterical feeling ebbed away, leaving plain old nervousness in it's place.

"Hey Will," the Key murmured as she sat down with a plop next to the quiet boy. An odd collection of expressions was plastered on his face, predominantly shock and confusion.

"Err, hello," he stuttered, eyes flicking behind glasses, checking her out. Feeling an extreme rush of feminine pride, Dawn preened a little under William's embarrassed flush. Nothing like reducing a guy's vocabulary to boost an ego.

"I was just wondering what you were doing after school today," she began, rushing on when she saw his mouth open, "because I was thinking that it might be cool if we went out and got coffee or something." William's mouth opened and closed without making a sound. "Of course, if you don't want to you don't have to. I just thought you might like to, is all," she finished defensively, feeling very apprehensive.

"It's not that I don't want to," William began apologetically. "It's just that I have plans today. I'm going to that bookstore down the road from the Magic Box with Beth, today. We agreed to meet up there at four o'clock so she could give me back my books."

"No problem," Dawn managed to breathe, feeling decidedly faint. She felt the rosy warmth of an unwanted blush begin to creep up her body. Great, that was all she needed to make this humiliation complete. "I'll just be… going."

Ignoring William's goodbye, Dawn focused intently on managing to make her way out of the cafeteria without embarrassing herself further.

XXX

"You guys, we should probably stop being supervillians now," Jonathan complained nasally, earning himself two hard stares. Well, to be more accurate, one hard stare and one weird squint.

"You wimping out on us, Sparky?" Warren, owner of the hard stare, asked.

"No, no. No. It's just, the Slayer's already caught us once and I really don't want to go to the Big House again…"

"I kind of liked it there," Andrew mused, giving up on his weird squint. He blinked, realising a long, horrified silence had followed his last comment. "What? The food was nice."

"She won't catch us," Warren countered, having decided to ignore Andrew's opinion. "This time, we'll be prepared."

"What do you mean, prepared?" Jonathan asked suspiciously

"We're going high tech, shorty. We're going to wire up everywhere the Slayer'll go, so we'll know where she is at all times from right here in our very lair."

"Cameras?"

"You know it short-stop. In every room of the house." Warren grinned smugly at the obviously awed expressions on his compatriot's faces.

"Even the shower?"

XXX

"We need some more useful tools," It rumbled, casting a derisive glance at black-robed, ritually scarred figures standing guard at the oak door.

"Couldn't agree more, mate. And I know of some who just became available."

XXX

**A/N:**_ Try and remember, folks. While I am creative (or so I like to think) and I very much do enjoy writing, the only reward I get from these stories comes in the form of reviews. If you've read this much of the story, I can only assume you've enjoyed yourself and I ask one thing in payment. Leave a review. Doesn't have to be long, or detailed, or insightful. Just a little something to let me know you're reading, and what you like or would like to change. If I don't get my review fix here, then I'll start a new project that'll take over the majority of my writing time searching for it. Keep me motivated, boys and girls._


	7. Make the puppets dance

**A/N:**_ Well, this time the response was a little better. I'm writing an Angel fiction that coincides with this one. The first chapter of that will roughly equal this chapter in this. It will not be necessary to read that to continue to understand this, but it may explain large plot points in the not-too-distant future. Remember to keep reviewing. Oh, yeah. I__'m also thinking about adding to Crushed. Instead of doing another fic, I'll just insert some chapters into the middle of that. All the extra, emotional stuff? Scrap that. People want the funny and the sexing. I did a survey. I even asked a person. And again, I am thanking my lurvely betas, _Ultrawoman_ and _Ezekeiel Rage_. Just because. I didn't give this chapter to them for betaing. I'm trying to keep up with a deadline for myself, so blame the shoddy quality on my putting this off too late._

**Disclaimer:**_ So I violated some federal mail. Is that a crime? Oh. Right. Well, is it anything we haven't all done sixteen, seventeen times in our life? No?… uh oh…._

**XXX**

**Make the puppets dance**

"Welcome to the Magic Bo-- oh, it's you," Anya finished glumly, the smile sliding off her face immediately.

Giles suppressed a wry smile. "Slow day?"

"Yes. It's depressing," Anya complained. "The only people who've been in all day are Will and his little friend."

"Will had a friend over?" Giles asked, pleased that the boy was finally starting to make friends on his own.

"Yes. They went out to get something to eat but Will said he'd be back in time for today's training." Anya supplied, scribbling absently in one of her large books.

"Oh. I forgot that he wanted to pick up an extra day. I've already said Buffy and Spike could use the space," Giles worried, before muttering darkly, "although Lord only knows how much training will actually get done with those two in there alone."

"Where were you today?" Anya finally asked. Clearly the boredom had made her desperate if she were inquiring after his whereabouts.

"I was actually doing a little early Christmas shopping," Giles informed her while putting away a stack of books left on the table by some customer or other. "And before you ask, no, you cannot have yours now."

Giles smiled softly as he heard Anya grumbling, thankfully too lowly to catch more than 'crotchety', 'old' and 'rabies'. After packing the books away, Giles pulled one of the larger demon anthologies down and began to browse through it. After all, it never hurt to have some idea of what was in the books as it helped speed up research parties considerably when he could find a useful book straight away.

The Watcher quickly became immersed in the book, one of the few written in English in the entire store, and he was startled out of it abruptly by a large clatter coming from the training room, followed by a mischievous giggle. Sighing, Giles put the book down and walked to the connecting door and poked his head through.

It was as he'd suspected. Taking off his glasses and cleaning the lenses, Giles just raised one eyebrow in the vicinity of the pair. He felt he was being very mature about Buffy and Spike's… relationship, especially considering how bad an idea he thought it was, but he very sincerely did not need to see Buffy straddling the vampire, who'd fallen over one of the weapon racks, with his hand both up her shirt and her hands up his.

"Uhh, we were just training?" Buffy asked hopefully, slugging her boyfriend in the arm when he sniggered. Giles shook his head and returned to his book, wincing when he heard the Slayer hiss, "How the hell did you get this undone so fast?"

"Impressed?" was the vampire's retort. He sounded insufferably smug and he didn't even have the modicum of respect that it would take to lower his voice.

Picking up his book again, Giles was unsure as to be relieved by the grunts and thuds coming from the training room or not. The phone rang shrilly, startling him again.

"Hello, the Magic Box, your one stop shop for all your magical needs. This is Anya speaking, how can I help you?" the ex-demon chirped in the background. "Hesbocupous? Yes, I think I can help you with that. Just a moment." Anya gestured sharply at Giles, managing to express disturbingly clearly her message of, 'watch for customers or else I'll be forced to wreak vengeance on you'.

Just as Anya disappeared into the stock room, discussing the sale as animatedly as she did her wedding, the door opened and in came William, chatting cheerily with a slim girl almost as tall as him.

"-it actually increases your IQ while you're listening to it. I believe it has something to do with the meter being based on the Fibonacci sequence," William was informing his rapt listener, before noting Giles. "Oh, Beth. I'd like you to meet someone."

"Hey Rupes," Spike called out as he entered he shop proper. "We've had a little accident in there and…" The vampire trailed off as he noticed William, Giles and Beth standing a little way away. Giles watched as the young woman looked at Spike, blinked, then looked at William. It was obvious why. Apart from the bleached hair, which was tousled from whatever he and Buffy had been doing in the training room, and his black clothing, he was almost exactly the same as William. Everyone froze.

"Is that…" Beth began tentatively, "your brother?"

"Uh, yeah," Spike drawled uncertainly, glancing at the other two men in the room before nodding towards the girl. "Name's Spike." Obviously believing the matter resolved he then proceeded to ignore it. "Ru- Dad…?" Spike began, slightly questioning. "The Sla- Buffy's had a bit of a tumble in there and we took out one of the… bookcases."

Giles resisted the juvenile impulse to roll his eyes at the vampire's obvious cover-up. "Which one of the bookcases, _son_?" Giles asked acerbically. His question was ignored in favour of all three of the British men staring meaningfully at Buffy, who was emerging from the training room looking flushed and rumpled.

"Look, love, _my brother_ is here," Spike said pointedly with a not-so-subtle jerk of his head. Giles once again resisted the urge to roll his eyes - because really, hundreds of years as an evil demon and he couldn't lie better than this? - and William still remained wide-eyed, unmoving since Spike emerged from the back.

"You brother?" Buffy asked, confused, and she looked at William, Spike then the new girl next to the young man. "Oh, of course! Your brother William!"

"Beth, would you mind going with Buffy for a moment? I'd like to speak to my children," Giles ground out, barely noticing the girl's nod as she and the Slayer walked to the front of the store. "What were you thinking?" Giles hissed at Spike, who looked highly affronted by this singling out.

"Me? I'm not the stupid berk who brings someone new around without giving a vamp some warning, am I?" Spike asked heatedly, albeit quietly.

"You can't blame this on Will," Giles said in a resigned tone, his anger disappearing. "It shouldn't be too much of a problem. The pair of you will just have to pretend to be brothers and my sons around outsiders from here on out."

**XXX**

Buffy watched the hushed argument with interest. It was always fun to watch Giles yell at someone else for a change and even if she couldn't hear what was being said there was the satisfaction of seeing the ever-cocky Spike on the stern, British end of Giles' temper. Plus, with Spike getting in trouble Buffy wasn't getting told off for the incident in the training room five minutes ago.

"…Buffy?" Beth asked quietly, causing Buffy to jump. She'd completely forgotten the slim girl was there.

"Yeah?"

"Um, Spike… that isn't… I mean, it's not… his real name… is it?" Beth asked apprehensively.

Buffy couldn't stop the giggle that slipped out at the idea of Rupert Giles naming any child of his Spike. "No, it's just a nickname," Buffy informed her.

Beth let out a little relieved sound. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry?" Buffy asked, her attention pulled back to the quiet girl from the huddled men.

"Spike's real name, what is it?"

"Uhh," the Slayer stammered, feeling like a deer in the headlights. What's an English name? "It's… Wesley"

"Hey!" Spike barked, his head snapping up to glare at the Slayer. Buffy narrowed her eyes and flicked a quick glance at Beth, noting with satisfaction Spike's look of sullen acceptance of his new name before he let himself be yelled at by Giles some more. The bell above the door let out a jingle.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Dawn asked as she ambled inside.

"Hey, Dawn," Buffy said with a warningly pointed look at Beth. "Giles is just talking to his two sons, William and Spike."

Dawn blinked twice. "Oh, right."

When Dawn continued looking at Beth, Buffy started. "Oh, right. This is William's friend, Beth." All amusement melted off her sister's face, and Dawn shot the bespectacled girl a frosty smile. "And this is my sister, Dawn," Buffy told Beth, who smiled shakily and gave a little wave which Dawn promptly ignored.

"Mom told me to remind you that dinner's going to be at seven tonight, and that Spike's welcome to meet Aunt Arlene from Illinois but he can't swear in front of her if he does stay for dinner," Dawn recited dully, clearly not impressed by being messenger girl.

"Why did mom send you with the message? She has the phone number to the Magic Box," Buffy asked.

Dawn looked a mite uncomfortable. "I was going to come up here anyway," she mumbled.

"Umm," Beth stuttered nervously, distracting Buffy from her intent to question what Dawn would be doing heading up the Magic Box so close to sunset. "I just remembered, I have to get home soon or dad'll start to worry."

"Oh, okay," Buffy said. "Hey Will, your friend's going!"

William hurried over to say his goodbyes while Giles looked daggers at the Slayer, who would almost have sworn that he was an angry parent if she hadn't known better.

Buffy wandered over to Spike who was glowering at the ground in between his feet. "Did the big mean Watcher yell at you?" she asked mockingly.

Spike snorted, then threw Buffy an injured glance. "Wesley?"

**XXX**

"All the cameras are operational," Jonathan said smugly.

"Even the ones in the shower?" Andrew asked.

Jonathan rolled his eyes. "I said all of the cameras, nimrod!" he snorted derisively. "Of course the ones in the shower."

"I was just checking," mumbled Andrew sullenly.

"Yeah, because you're a loser," Jonathan smirked.

"Warren, Jerk-athan's being a jerk!" Andrew wailed, shoving the shorter man as hard as he could.

"Stop being such a cry-baby!" Jonathan said, shoving back, causing an all out shoving war.

"Will you two girls stop playing with each other's hands?" Warren snapped, only a little satisfied by the mortified looks on their faces as they obeyed his command. "Now we need to come up with a plan to take over Sunnydale."

"I think I can help you with that," a mellow voice said into the silence, startling the Trio into turning around. A tall, dark-haired man, powerfully built and handsome despite the cruel sneer in his eyes, stood in the corner of their secret lair.

"W- who are you?" Warren stuttered.

"A friend," he stated with a sly grin. "A friend and I have some chores that we need done, and you boys fit the bill exactly."

"What friend?" Jonathan asked suspiciously.

"That would be me," a deep rumbling came from the top of the stairs, where a tall demon with sinister glowing eyes stood, tapping his razor sharp claws against the concrete wall. All three members of the Trio gulped.

**XXX**

**A/N:**_ Well, Merry Christmas to one and all. This is the first unbetad chapter of this story yet, and hopefully the last.I either put this on unbetad now or in about four, maybe five days. Considering how long this chapter has taken to pull together - I just seem to have run out of writing steam lately, which is why thisis so short- I thought I owed you all. I have a chapter for Denuo and Soul of a Demon mostly done, and will probably be posted before New Years. Also, I may have a chapter up for Monday's Child and I am working on a new fic - I know, I know. I have too many still…- but for now, this is it. Sorry about the delay, guys and gals. Maybe some reviews could get me pumped… hint hint._


	8. Ripple effect

**A/N:**_ The coinciding Angel fiction I was planning to run alongside this has been scrapped. I thought about it, then looked at my current track record. I'm not going to keep up two stories running parallel. I just don't have it in me at this point. As such, I'm moving on to Plan B, and I hope I receive a lot of support for this. Praise to me most groovetastic (I solemnly vow to never use that word again) betas, _Ultrawoman_ and _Ezekeiel Rage_. I hope I pull this off half so well as I hope too._

**Timeline:**_ This chapter begins half-way through Benediction, and I'll be including some of the important scenes that will be directly addressed by this fic. Bear with me, this is my first attempt at capturing the cast of Angel in character. That's why over half of this is stolen -- AHEM, I mean borrowed material._

**Disclaimer:**_ WARNING: _

_This chapter will have no William or Buffy. _

_No Dawn, no Spike, nor Giles the stuffy. _

_This chapter heralds the beginning of something new, _

_a something I sincerely hope will entertain you. _

_END QUASI-MUSICAL WARNING_

**XXX**

**Ripple effect**

_**Los Angeles**_

Steven gripped the stake tightly, stepping into the dank alley cautiously. The vampire had sprinted out here after the brawl, but now there was no sign of him. The alley was filled with the scents of a hundred people and there was no other indicators around. Spinning suddenly, the stake was already on it's downswing towards the sound when Angel gripped his wrist, twisting Steven's arm behind his back and punching the stake into the heart of the vampire about to lunge at his back.

"They don't need to breathe or make any sound. You gotta be careful," Angel began, releasing his son. "You know you were - you were good in there." Angel paused, before looking slightly embarrassed. "I mean, normally I'd take you to a ballgame, or a museum, or - something. But it's," Angel smiled, "it's good to know that you can handle yourself in a fight."

Angel threw a quick, playful punch at Steven, who jumped back quickly, before grinning.

" It's good to know you can do that, too," the vampire told his son warmly. Steven mischievously punched at Angel in retaliation. "Whoa!"

The pair laughingly danced around each other, throwing fake punches and doing acrobatics, bonding for the first time since Steven's return. Holtz looked down on them from his perch on the fire escape for a moment, before walking away.

**XXX **

Steven was sitting at the table in the seedy motel room when Holtz returned.

"Father. - He was everything that you said," the boy began haltingly. "He tried to trick me. Thought that he could deceive me by saving people. It didn't work. I've seen his true face."

"And I've seen yours," Holtz responded gravely, sitting down opposite the child he'd raised.

"Don't say that!"

"It is true, son," Holtz informed him sadly.

"You're wrong!" Steven snarled desperately.

"I'm not wrong. Anyone who saw you together would realize." The vampire hunter looked Steven in the eye. "That's where you're meant to be. At his side."

"No!" the boy barked, slamming his fists on the table.

"It was your need for him that drove you across the dimension."

"I don't need him!" Steven assured Holtz frantically.

"Go back to him, Steven," Holtz ordered quietly.

"Why are you doing this? Why?" Steven asked, pained. "God gave me to you."

"Yes. It was god's plan for us to be together. Nothing will ever persuade me otherwise," Steven looked hopeful for a moment. "But now it's time for me to give you back."

"He's a demon," Steven argued, trying a different tack.

"And you're the bastard son of two demons," Holtz retorted.

Steven stared at the floor before saying sullenly, "Then I'm a demon."

Holtz grabbed his son's hands. "You're not. God help me, I don't know what you are, but I'm not the one to give you answers, and there _are_ answers. Go and find them out."

Steven snatched his hands from the older man's. "You told me not to be deceived but you've let yourself be deceived," he sneered venomously.

"If I could stop this, I would, son," Holtz said sadly. "But we were brought here by forces beyond our control."

Steven jumped up and stormed to the door, where he stopped and looked at the man who raised him. "You're wrong."

**XXX**

Lorne pulled his robe on tighter and sipped his hot chocolate as he ambled back to his room. He saw a figure out of the corner of his eye. "Oh, hey, kiddo. I didn't see you there. You looking for your dad? Come on," Lorne said, gesturing with a shake of his head. "He's upstairs. I'll show you the room. - This way."

"I'm not going anywhere with you, demon," the young man muttered menacingly.

"I'll tell you what," Lorne began, the smile on his lips belying the taut timbre of his voice. "Since you were raised in a hell dimension by a psychopath - and since that happens to be a topic that I know a little something about - we'll just let that slide. Now I'll fetch your pop for you."

Lorne turned to head back up the stairs when Steven snarled at him again. "Filthy demon."

The green demon turned around. "Actually, that's _uncle_ filthy demon to you. It wasn't that long ago - like a week - I was changing your diapers, you little-"

"Hey!" Cordelia cried out, entering the room. "What's the problem?" Lorne gestured towards Angel's son, who still stood glaring at the demon. "Steven?" The glare continued. "Steven!" Cordy barked.

The glare continued for a beat before the boy allowed Cordy to lead him over to the settee and sit next to him.

"I know you haven't been in this world very long, and I imagine that things are pretty wild west-y where you're from," Cordy said understandingly, "but Lorne's a good guy. Honestly."

"It's a demon," he muttered scornfully.

"Right. True. _He _is," Cordy said emphatically. "But 'demon' doesn't always mean 'evil' in this dimension. I mean, look at me." Steven looked at the seer curiously. "Well, I'm part demon." Steven tilted his head in question. "Yeah. By choice," Cordy emphasised. "I did it so that I could help people." She threw an amused look at Lorne. "And so that the back of my head wouldn't-"

With a feral snarl, Steven drew and knife and lunged at Cordy, who grabbed his arms and struggled against the boy.

"Cordy!" Lorne cried out, rushing towards the grappling pair.

A white glow began to emanate from behind Cordy's eyes, quickly enveloping her whole body before spreading to cover Steven. "Let it go, honey," Cordelia murmured softly. "Just let it go. You don't need that. You don't need any of that. That's right. Just let it go, baby," she crooned. "Shh. It's okay, sweetie. That's right. It's okay." Steven closed his eyes and rested his head on her shoulder. "I know. Shh. It's okay. It's okay."

**XXX**

"How do you feel?" Angel asked his seer, concerned.

"Okay," Cordy replied. "Drained, but okay."

"Well, you got some serious mojo going on, girl," Lorne said with an impressed grin. "Whatever deal you struck with the Powers, it looks to me like they gave you the full package - all the extras. That kid was toxic when he came here tonight. Heavy on the 'ick'," he finished with a distasteful smirk.

"What actually happened out there?" Angel asked with a head tilt.

"In my professional opinion?" Lorne checked. "Well, Miss demon-y britches here gave that child some kind of 'soul colonic'. Flushed him out but good."

"Flushed what out?"

"It was that place, Quor-toth," Cordy said with a grimace. "It crept into every part of him. He was sick with it."

"When Fred was taking her readings-"

"He nearly broke the needle," Lorne cut in. "My guess? She wouldn't even get so much as a click off him now."

"Thank you," Angel murmured sincerely. "Thank you for doing this for him."

"I know what it was like for him there, the darkness and the confusion. He thought it was where he belonged," Cordy said, horrified.

Angel nodded solemnly and head out to where Connor-- Steven now, he reminded himself, sat. "Hey, pal. How 're you doing?"

"I might have tried to kill your friend," he murmured detachedly.

"Yeah, well," Angel said awkwardly. "She's used to it."

"I think I should go," his son said despairingly.

"Look, why don't you just… stay here?" Angel asked tentatively, sitting down next to his son. "I know it doesn't feel like it yet, but this could be home for you."

"I don't have a home."

"That's not true. You just don't remember, that's all." Angel looked at Con- Steven. "Your home is here. This is where you're supposed to be, son."

"Angel," Cordelia called out suddenly. "We've got big trouble."

"What is it?" the vampire asked, quickly walking towards his seer.

"A motel down town," Cordelia began. "There's a demon. Big, black, furry, and strong. He can flip over a car."

Gunn and Fred returned through the door and Angel cast them a brief look. "We've got trouble. Mount up."

"Right," Gunn agreed, fetching his axe and Fred's crossbow as Angel returned with a pair of swords.

"Where's Steven?"

**XXX**

"Come, Destroyer," the bulky demon bellowed, overturning a car with a powerful sweep of his clawed hand.

Street light shone down on the demon, his black skin seeming to suck the light out of the air, creating an aura of darkness around him. It stood over six feet tall, with thickly muscled arms that ended it razor sharp talons. A heavy pelt of midnight-blue hair covered his chest, stomach and back that made him look like a demonic gorilla.

"Destroyer! Face me!" he roared again, punching a gash into the wall of the seedy motel. Black robed men from the demon's ally rushed in and dragged out a pair of the worthless humans. "If you do not show yourself willingly, then perhaps killing these mortals will draw you out."

The demon's arm darted out, catching the first human, a spawn, in the throat, it's blood splashing out over the ground and the other human, who shrieked. The demon's malevolent green eyes glittered with sadistic glee as he crushed the second human's skull.

"Bring me more humans," he ordered the robed figures. "I'll entertain myself until the Destroyer faces me."

The demon watched impassively as the robed servants of his ally burst the doors of the rooms open and dragged out kicking and screaming humans. His lip curled in disgust as he smelled the rank cowardice flooding and the incessant pleas for mercy that came from all of them - except one.

Intrigued, the demon glided forward in a liquid fashion, coming to a halt before the seemingly fearless human. He reeked of evil in the most delightful way.

"You do not fear me, human," he began. "Why?"

The old man looked at him contemptuously. "I have faced worse than you and lived to tell the tale, monster."

"Then it must pain you to know that I am the one to kill you," the demon replied, punching two clawed fingers into the human's fleshy stomach. He relished the look of shock and pain on the human's face and drove his claws deeper.

A sharp, unexpected impact to the demon's midsection sent him sprawling across the car park. Rising to his feet, the demon turned angry eyes towards his assailant. He appeared to be a young boy, not much more than a spawn, but his scent told the demon he was much more. The Destroyer.

The Destroyer was huddled over the dead or dying form of the fearless human. His head snapped up, his eyes red, and he snarled, "You killed my father!"

The Destroyer rushed the demon, throwing his fist forward with wild abandon. The demon grabbed the Destroyer's fist mid-air and began to squeeze, before landing a crushing body blow to the Destroyer.

"I am Artulus," the demon pronounced before hurling the Destroyer away from him.

The sounds of a battle rang out suddenly, and Artulus spun to see where it was coming from. A small group had attacked his robed minions. A dark-skinned one wielding a big axe, a particularly frail one wielding a crossbow, a female of their species wielding a sword and a Champion. This was… unexpected.

The Destroyer charged Artulus again, tackling him to the ground and punching him repeatedly. With a grunt, Artulus slammed a fist into the Destroyer's chest, sending him flying through one of the windows of the building behind him. Rising to his feet, Artulus barely managed to deflect the sword the Champion sent hurtling at his face. Lashing out quickly with his foot, he managed to propel the Champion fifteen feet away.

A stinging pain in his neck signalled that the others had finished the robed ones. Plucking the crossbow bolt out, Artulus stabbed the axe-wielder in the shoulder with it, ignoring the painful gash he left on Artulus' stomach.

The sword-wielding female lunged at Artulus as another crossbow bolt punctured his chest. Swaying out of the way of the thin blade, he punched at the woman and scoring a glancing blow that sent her spinning to the ground.

Artulus suddenly pitched forward as the Destroyer tackled him once again and the bolt in his chest snapped painfully. Rolling quickly, Artulus gained the upper hand and drove a knee into the Destroyer's stomach before slamming both fists onto his chest.

Searing pain struck him as the axe bit deep into his right arm, but Artulus wrenched his arm forward, dragging the wounded axe-wielder with it and a quick jab opened a second hole in the man's leg. A third crossbow bolt struck him, this time below the knee, as the axe-wielder collapsed to the ground.

Rolling backwards on instinct, Artulus managed to miss the sword the Champion had thrust at Artulus' temple, but not a forth crossbow bolt, which lodged itself in his lower back. Ducking under the Champion's follow-up swing, Artulus drove all five claws deep into the Champion's stomach and back-handing the corpse so it knocked the axe-wielder to the ground again.

Artulus' claw snapped the fifth crossbow bolt out of mid-air and he began to walk towards the last remaining warrior, flexing his talons powerfully. She darted underneath him, these damn wounds slowed him more than he thought they would, and he turned to follow only to halt.

The Champion was already on his feet, sword in hand. The female sword-fighter was helping up the Destroyer and the crossbow-wielder was handing the axe-wielder his weapon. The annoying thing about the forces of good was their endless persistence, it seemed.

"I'll be at the Hellmouth. Face me when you've grown tired of hiding behind your women, Destroyer," Artulus taunted before sprinting off into the night.

**XXX**

**A/N:**_ Well, this is a few firsts for me. It was my most ambitious action scene to date, and my first (serious) attempt at writing the Angel cast. My lacklustre response to the last chapter of Denuo - one which I personally thought was great - did inspire me to churn this chapter out, but if some of you didn't review in the hopes that this would happen (shame on you!) I would have been doing this chapter next anyway. It just took longer as few people showed interest in my stuff. Review. _

_P.S. I have an idea for a new fic, and I am curious to see if any of my readers would be interested. The idea is, essentially, me telling the story of a (completely home-made) vampire, with a slight twist. It would take place in a mix of flashbacks and current events (which is where the twist is) and it would explore my opinions on the Jossverse vampires. It would be different to my usual stuff as it would mostly be completely original, simply using the world of Joss. It'd be my stepping stone to original fiction. If you'd be interested, just say so in a review, and if not don't worry about it._

_But please, review._


	9. Tangled webs

**A/N:**_ School is busy. I'm tired. I have writer's block in the sense that I can't express the highly detailed images I have in my head. Bear with me because this is the hardest I've found writing a chapter since my very crappy beginnings. I feel as though I'm on the brink of something with this, though I'm not sure if it's greatness or complete collapse. Let me know. Oh yeah, sorry about how most of the last chapter was incredibly confusing and regurgitated, but it was a little then or constantly 'til the end._

**Disclaimer:**_ This chapter scraped past my betas so you can blame them. Unless I got impatient waiting for them to beta it and I posted it anyway, in which case it's probably my bad._

**XXX**

**Tangled webs**

_**Los Angeles**_

Angel grunted as Cordy dropped him onto the couch in the lobby, running off to get the medical supplies. That fight had not gone as well as one could have hoped. It was a demon he'd never seen before, and whatever it was, it tore through them all like they were nothing. Gunn collapsed onto the couch next to him, groaning at the sudden shock to his wounded leg.

"Well, that was all kinds o' fun," Gunn wheezed, ripping the crossbow bolt from his shoulder, loosely wadding some gauze Cordelia passed him and pressing it against the wound.

"Yeah," Angel gasped painfully.

"Angel, Gunn, you are injured," the Groosalug murmured worriedly entering from the basement, the light sheen of sweat on his forehead suggesting training. His concern became even more obvious when he saw Cordy come in with an armful of bandages. "Princess, are you hurt?"

"No, Groo, honey," Cordy assured him. "I'm fine."

"What happened?" Groo asked, at a loss.

"I had a vision," Cordy told him, examining the horrific wound in Angel's stomach. "We went fighty, but it didn't go so well."

"You can say that again," Gunn muttered, wincing as his pants pulled on the cut in his leg.

"Why did you not wait for me, Princess?" Groo asked, puzzled. "Surely the Groosalug could have helped."

"Uhh-"

"Can I get a hand here?" Fred asked plaintively, cutting off Cordy's reply. She had an unconscious Connor hanging off her back, which Groo quickly helped her with. "Thanks."

The boy was placed on Angel's other side, having been pretty much levelled by the demon, Artulus' last blow. Connor stirred with a groan, cracking open an eyelid.

"What happened?" he asked hoarsely.

Cordy tugged the boy's shirt off and quickly examined the injury while Fred tended to Gunn and Groo watched on helplessly. "Looks like you've got a couple of broken ribs. You'll be okay," she reassured him.

Connor sat up, hissing with pain. "I didn't know I could be broken," he said, stunned awe in his voice as he carefully prodded the bruised, discoloured flesh.

"What was that thing?" Angel asked.

"Whatever it was, it was strong," Gunn groaned as Fred cleaned the gash in his thigh.

"Wes would probably kno-" Fred cut herself short, as both Angel and Gunn stiffened at the mention of the former Watcher.

"Whatever it was, I'm going to kill it," Connor growled.

"You're right," Angel agreed. "As soon as we heal, we'll hit the books and-"

"No," Connor barked. "I'm going to kill it now."

Angel sat up completely, ignoring the pain, and stared at his son incredulously. "Look, Connor, you can't be serious. That thing just took us all out like we were kids and you can't-"

"My name is Steven," Connor spat. "And that _demon_ killed my father!"

"We will kill him, Connor," Angel assured him. "When the time is right."

"Steven! And I'll kill him now."

With that, Connor lunged to his feet and began to totter towards the door. Cordelia barred his way and knocked him onto the floor with a light tap on the chest.

"Listen, Con- Steven," she corrected herself at his dark glare. "If I can do that then chasing after this demon is just going to get you killed. Then Holtz won't get avenged." The seer paused, watching her words penetrate the stubborn resolve. "We will get him, Steven. Trust me."

The young man allowed the seer to seat him opposite his father as Lorne walked down the stairs.

"What's with all the hubbub?"

**XXX**

_**Sunnydale**_

Dawn glared sullenly at the studious pair, her eyes narrowing dangerously when she noticed them both adjust their glasses in the same way at the same time. They were doing quote unquote homework. Yeah, as if two of the smartest kids on Sunnydale High needed to do a group study. For English. Will _was _English! He knew words that only Giles and Willow knew! He didn't need study!

"Don't you have that same assignment?" Giles asked Dawn quietly as he re-shelved some books.

"Yeah," she mumbled.

"Then wouldn't it make sense if you were over there, too?" he asked wryly. Both Dawn and Anya looked at him incredulously.

"She can't do that," Anya announced, scanning the shelves. "She has a crush on Will and he's been spending all his time with his pretty little friend there."

"I do not!" Dawn hissed under her breath.

Giles looked confused. "What makes you say that?"

"Lot's of things," Anya said airily. "She makes orgasm eyes at him all the time and never stops glaring at Beth." Anya casually selected a book from the third shelf. "Plus, she's started wearing make-up and perfume."

"I _so_ do not!" Dawn exclaimed, unable to get past the idea that they thought she had a crush on Will.

"I hardly think that a teenage girl wearing make-up a-and perfume constitutes a crush," Giles said quietly, polishing his glasses thoughtfully. Anya rolled her eyes as she walked back to the counter.

"She's not _that _pretty," Dawn muttered sullenly, glaring at Beth again. Giles raised his eyebrows at the Key pointedly. "Fine!"

Grumbling and muttering dire threats on Giles' person, Dawn rose and reluctantly walked over to the studious pair, standing behind William awkwardly for a minute before he noticed her presence.

"Would you like to study with us?" Beth asked after it became apparent that Will was just going to blink.

"If you don't mind," Dawn said stiffly, looking at Giles out the corner of her eye.

"Great," Will said with a smile, shifting the books so Dawn could see as well.

She gave him a warm smile that turned frosty as she faced Beth, who seemed cheerfully oblivious to Dawn's cold attitude, quickly explaining what they'd done so far and what they had left to do. Despite herself, Dawn found herself starting to like Beth. It was so very hard to hate someone so shy but nice. It was like hating Xander or Willow.

Which was another thing. Dawn hadn't seen Tara or Willow around lately. She hoped they were okay, because things between them had been tense recently. She absently chewed on the end of a pencil while Will and Beth continued to work on the project.

"Dawn?" Beth's voice broke into her haze. "Would you like to start on these books?"

Dawn looked at the few books being handed to her, then at the large pile in between her and Will, then smiled half-heartedly. "Not really," she said coolly.

"That's okay," Beth laughed. "I know what it's like when you have one of those days. Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it."

Dawn stared at Beth with something akin to horror in her eyes. How could anyone be that cheerful when they weren't on drugs? Oh1 Maybe she was on drugs! Or- or a demon! She could be a demon!

Buffy and Spike burst into the shop, both breathless with laughter. "-and then… and then the demon grabbed you by the neck and threw you into the crypt," Buffy managed to spit out before the pair collapsed into gales of laughter again. Laughter which petered out when they noticed a wide eyed Beth staring at them from behind her over-large glasses.

"Demon?" she asked weakly.

"I meant… puppy!" Buffy blurted.

"That threw your boyfriend into a… crypt?"

"It was a big puppy. With a grudge. At the cemetery."

Beth and Buffy stared at one another for a tense minute. "Okay."

Buffy and Spike let out a big sigh and gracefully left the room, probably heading off to quote unquote train. Silence reigned in the main part of the shop for a minute before everyone uneasily recommenced their tasks. After a short while Beth surreptitiously leaned towards Dawn.

"You do know that your sister is a little bit… odd, don't you?" she asked cautiously.

Dawn let out a long-suffering sigh. "You have no idea."

**XXX**

"Nimrod!" Warren screamed at the top of his lungs for the fifteenth time. Jonathan quivered with rage beside him.

"Geez, what?" Andrew asked coming down the stairs in a pink fluffy bathrobe.

"What the hell did you do wi- is that my mom's bathrobe?" Warren asked, noticing the pink robe.

Andrew looked down defensively. "Mine's still in the laundry. Why did you guys call me?"

"All the shower footage is of Spike!" Jonathan exploded, waving his arms wildly for emphasis.

"W-what do you mean?" Andrew asked nervously, looking anywhere but at his friends.

"Thirty nine collective hours of shower footage and all of it Spike! There are three women who live in that household and no men, and all the footage you filmed was of Spike!" Warren barked.

"No, it wasn't!" Andrew said, developing some spine.

"It wasn't?" Jonathan asked hopefully.

"Umm, no," Andrew hedged.

"Where's the rest, then?" Warren asked, irritated, his fingers poised over the keyboard.

"Umm, go favourites, then Andrew, then super hyper secret, then star trek, then star wars, then mega hyper cool:" Andrew nervously listed the file pathway.

There was a single movie file in the well hidden file. Double clicking, the three boys were treated to an image of the foggy bathroom. Someone was having a very hot shower. Suddenly, there was a shrill, girlish scream and the pitter patter of water ceased. A wet, naked Xander Harris stepped out of the shower at the same time a half-naked Spike entered the bathroom. The pair on screen froze, looking at each other before Spike started to laugh uproariously as Xander shoved him out of the bathroom.

"The hot water ran out!" Xander screamed out the door before the footage ended.

Warren and Jonathan both twitched for a second before turning slowly to see Andrew staring at the screen with a glazed expression on his face. With a scream, the pair jumped on the robed boy.

**XXX**

_**Los Angeles**_

Wesley pulled the TV dinner out of the microwave and turned to find Lilah standing in his living room.

"Lilah," Wesley acknowledged before ignoring her completely and seating himself at his table.

"Wow, and I thought your life was pathetic before," Lilah mocked. Wesley continued to eat in silence. "What, you're not going to ask why I'm here?"

"No," Wesley said without facing her. "I don't particularly care, you see."

"All this attitude," Lilah mused. "And to think, I'm here to do you a favour."

"Why do I find that hard to believe?" Wesley asked rhetorically.

"What, you think I came here to make fun of you?" Lilah paused. "Well, only to make fun of you?"

Wesley stood over Lilah and glared at her, his eyes flashing dangerously. "What I think, Lilah, is that your employers would never allow you to do something that doesn't benefit them and I have no interest in being their puppet."

"You're just all kinds of sexy when you're dark, aren't you?" Lilah breathed before tossing a dossier on the table, beside his TV dinner. "I'm just the messenger. Wolfram & Hart want you to have this information."

"And what, pray tell, am I supposed to do with it?" Wesley asked acerbically.

"That's up to you," Lilah told him as she walked out of his apartment. "It's that pesky free will thing again."

**XXX**

_**Unknown**_

Artulus' rumble echoed through the sewer system but the three black-robed figures remained unmoved. The amorphous figure in front of them shifted into a new form, scruffy, poorly dressed, dark-haired.

"And what exac'ly happened when you went up against the Destroyer?" he asked in an Irish accent.

"He was nothing more than a toy. I broke him as though he were nothing."

"Be he isn't dead, now, is he?" the man asked tauntingly. Artulus roared in rage and his right claw punctured the left robed figure's skull before flinging him down the tunnel like a rag doll tossed away by an angry toddler.

"No, I was thwarted by a pitiful Champion," Artulus explained. "He and his companions made me bleed. The spell was not safe to perform."

"So how will you finish the ritual?" the figure asked, genuinely curious.

"I have no fears," Artulus rumbled slyly. "He is little more than a boy. His emotions rule him."

"And how will that help you?"

Artulus smiled, a horrible sight, his short, pointed yellow teeth dripping with saliva. "I killed his father."

**XXX**

**A/N:**_ Okay, this is the first I've done in a while. I'm messing around with some stuff, my updates should probably become more frequent in future. I'm not sure how well this has been recieved by you, my adoring public, so I humbly beg a review. Oh yeah, also keep an eye out for my upcoming stuff: a Drusilla (possibly) one-shot and, in the distant future, an all-human challenge response. REVIEW!_


	10. Vendettas

**A/N:**_ Okay, this is a long one and a weird one. I'm not sure how well this ties in, or how good the writing is. Just shut up and be happy that I could string together this many coherent thoughts. Unless I'm wrong and it's incomprehensible, in which case I'll shave your cat… I'm a strange person. Don't judge me, unless my judgement involves some sort of leather or a cool new pair of boots._

**Disclaimer:**_ This chapter contains my most ambitious dialogue ever. Twelve people, talking all at once. Whoa, check out the craziness. I try so many things when I write stuff. Maybe I should just become boring like normal people, but then I wouldn't have the few fans I do. Sigh. Life is too hard. Thanks to my betas, who actually corrected this monstrosity. No betas for the moment so kindly disregard the last comment. I could delete it, of course, but that would be too easy, wouldn't it?_

**Vendettas**

_**Sunnydale**_

"I don't see why you just can't take me out on a date!" Buffy yelled as she delivered a crushing blow to the nose.

" 'cause I've gotta do it right, don't I?" Spike bellowed back, landing a heavy boot on a soft stomach.

"How hard is it," a punishing fist to the sternum, "to take a girl dancing?" Buffy cried.

"It's not," heavy right hook, "that," left jab, "bloody," kick to knee, "simple!" Spike roared with a powerful head butt, the crunch of bone following.

"This has gone on too long," Buffy grumbled under her breath, whipping a stake out from her waistband and wiping her face with her spare hand. Darting forward, a quick thrust, the low thump of wood being embedded in cold flesh and the vampire was dust. "Will you hurry up?" she asked Spike impatiently as he waled on the untrained vampire he was fighting.

Spike sighed before dropping the other vamp with a sweeping kick at his ankles and driving the stake into the creatures heart. He slung an arm over her shoulder and they continued their moonlight stroll as though it hadn't been broken at all.

"I want it to be a surprise when it happens, love," Spike said after a while.

Buffy heaved a sigh. "I want it to happen, Spike. It's sweet that you want it to be perfect but it's never going to be perfect," she explained despondently.

The peroxide blond stopped and leaned in for a cutesy kiss on the lips, before murmuring, "When it happens, love, I promise it'll be perfect."

Buffy melted into a second kiss and before long they were making out in the middle of patrol. Again. Spike groaned and was about to suggest a change of venue when a slimy demon that reeked of hot vomit and a vampire who looked like a seventies porn star burst out of the bushes in front of them, a screaming girl in their clutches.

"Slayer!" the demon gurgled and bolted off with the girl. After a second, the vampire sprinted off in the opposite direction.

"You get fangy, I'll get smelly," Buffy grumbled.

Spike grinned, before loping after the even more retro vamp. He stalked it predatorily, revelling in the hunt, the scent of fear. It'd been far too long since he'd been on the prowl and even longer since he inspired this kind of terror. The vamp ran recklessly, leaving a trail even the whelp could follow. Within minutes Spike had caught up to his quarry and a sudden leap out of the bushes dragged the seventies vamp to the ground.

The pair struggled, Spike using his superior strength, age and skill to great effect before Spike finally ended it. Rising to his feet, Spike casually dusted off and tucked the stake into his back pocket in preparation of finding Buffy when a sudden blur slammed into his ribs, knocking him to the ground.

**XXX**

Buffy launched herself through the air, striking the stinky demon feet first. It was times like this when she was glad she didn't wear heels on patrol any more. Smelly stumbled forward, dropping the girl's arm before tumbling over a tombstone.

"Get out of here," the Slayer told the woman, who took the advice to heart, sprinting off without a word. "Is it too much to ask that I get a thank you?" Buffy asked the demon rhetorically. "I mean, I get the whole, ah, I'm scared of the big killer demon, but-"

A surprisingly powerful blow from the demon cut Buffy off mid-sentence, and the smell it left on her face nearly caused her to pass out. That had to be some kind of demon weapon, because surely no amount of not-washing could create a smell so bad it's almost enough to knock a slayer down.

Buffy prepared to kick the demon's feet out from under it, but it never came at her. Jumping to her feet, she was pleasantly surprised to see the demon being strangled by a strong pair of black-clad arms. She smiled as the demon's neck snapped and walked over to see-

"Angel?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Are you okay, Buffy?" Angel asked, his big, brown eyes shining with concern.

"What are you doing here?"

**XXX**

Connor snarled as the vampire threw him off. This one was strong. Its nostrils flared and its eyes widened.

"What the bloody hell are you?"

Ignoring the vampire's words, Connor lunged again, smashing the heel of his hand into the vampire's shoulder, sending it stumbling back. A wild punch was diverted, then the vampire connected with a spinning kick to Connor's stomach.

Gripping the vampire's hand mid-swing, Connor twisted his arm behind his back and slammed his face into the cold concrete of the crypt. "Why do you kill other demons?"

The vampire snorted. "Could ask you the same question," it responded, it's elbow clipping Connor's head, releasing it from his grip. It punched him, and Connor responded the same way.

"I'm no demon," he growled, eliciting a derisive snort.

" 'f you weren't a demon, mate, I wouldn't be able to do this," it mocked as it punched Connor in the face again. Connor attacked it, cursing his still healing injuries. Yes, this demon was strong, but Angelus was stronger. Maybe it was common for vampires to hunt each other down in this world, or maybe this one was different - like Angel claimed to be.

No, it couldn't be different. It was trying to kill him, like all demons, like the one who killed his father. They all deserved to pay, to suffer. They traded blows - Connor was stronger, faster, but the vampire was older, a veteran fighter and uninjured.

Connor gasped as the vampire landed a sharp elbow to his half-healed ribs, causing them to shatter. He dropped to his knees, coughing, and felt cool hands grip his head, ready to snap his neck. Connor tensed, waiting for the fatal twist until the heatless clasp disappeared. He looked over at the vampire, who had a crossbow bolt in his shoulder then to Fred and Gunn, who were running over, crossbow in hand.

**XXX**

"So," Buffy drawled. "How are you?"

Angel glanced up then looked back down at his feet. "Good."

They both looked everywhere but at the other. The silence hung thick in the air.

"How's school?" Angel asked.

"Good," the Slayer replied quickly, before the silence descended again.

"Your mom?"

"Good."

The pair stood awkwardly.

"Hey Angel," a girl called out, jogging up to him.

"Cordelia?"

"Oh, hey Buffy," Cordy said backhandedly. "Angel, where's Connor?"

Buffy blinked blankly. "Connor?"

**XXX**

Gunn watched in disbelief as the pale vamp ripped the crossbow bolt out of his shoulder and lunged at him, brandishing the blood-covered arrow as a weapon. Just as he dropped into a fighting stance, the vampire screamed and fell to the ground, clutching his head.

Not questioning his good fortune, Gunn gripped the vamp's arms as tight as he could while Fred plunged the stake into his chest, Rather than turn to dust, the vampire let out an even louder scream.

**XXX**

Angel shuffled his feet. This was awkward. Really awkward.

"You have a son!" Buffy screeched again.

Cordy heaved a sigh and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know. Big shock, vampire with a kid. Can we put a hold on the big inquisition until we find him?"

A hoarse scream shattered the still of the graveyard.

"Connor," Angel breathed.

**XXX**

Giles rubbed the bridge of his nose. Today was not a good day for him. Xander and Anya were arguing, quite vocally, about a movie or a comic or something trivial like that. Dawn had decided to overlook her enmity of Beth in order to make jokes under her breath and giggle with the other teenage girl and whatever they were saying had Will red-faced. Willow was doing her cute routine with Tara, the pair having resolved some fight or other. All in all, it was adding up to one massive migraine.

The door slammed open, and a furious Buffy carrying a wounded Spike thrust their way into the Magic Box. She was followed by a tall young black man holding hands with a thin, dark-haired young woman. Giles took off his glasses and began polishing them when he saw Cordelia hauling a sullen young man in by his shirt and a glaring Angel finishing up the whole procession.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me you were working with Spike!" Angel exploded.

"You have a son!" Buffy shouted back, dropping Spike into an empty chair.

"Whoa, Deadboy has a son?" Xander asked

Angel stopped glaring at everyone at focussed on William. "Now there's two of him!"

"Um," Beth began nervously, "That's William."

"Then who's that?" Gunn asked, pointing at Spike.

"That's Wesley," Beth supplied.

Fred furrowed her brow. "He's Wesley too? I thought he was Spike."

"He's not Wesley, he's William," Angel growled.

"No, man," Gunn said stubbornly, pointing at the young man. "He's William."

Spike let out a low groan. "What's wrong with Spike?" Dawn asked.

"Angel tried to stake him!" Buffy snapped, fussing at the gaping wound in his chest.

"Yay?" Xander asked weakly, prompting Anya to slap his arm.

"A-actually, it was us," Fred murmured.

"We don't kill Spike," Dawn muttered sternly.

"Do we even kill vampires any more?" Gunn asked rhetorically.

"Can we get back to the issue at hand here?" Willow asked. "Angel has a son now?"

"Yeah," Angel said, his voice filled with wonder.

"He's not my father," Connor muttered darkly.

"He's not?" Giles asked.

"He is," Cordy said with a hard look at the young boy.

"He is," Willow agreed with a grin. "Look, the sneer's genetic."

"I think you're right, sweetie," Tara said with a soft smile.

"Plus, I think I already don't like him," Xander said. "That must be genetic too because Spike got it."

"Spike's related to him?" Beth asked Dawn in a low tone.

"Are they always like this?" Gunn asked Cordy, gesturing at Xander and Willow who were still chattering inanely about Angel.

"Worse," she sighed.

"We're wasting our time," Connor growled. "I'm out of here."

"Oh, no you don't mister," Cordy said, shoving him back into his seat.

"Everyone, quiet!" Giles snapped. "Now, I think introductions are in order."

**XXX**

_**Los Angeles**_

"Wes," Faith drawled appreciatively from behind the partition. "You look good."

Wesley scratched his chin wearily. "Yes, well, that's not why I'm here."

"Why are you here?" the dark-haired woman asked quietly. "You're the last person I expected to be here."

"It's Angel," Wesley murmured. "He needs help."

"He's gotten by without me longer than both of us have been alive, Wes. I think he can get by without me," Faith smirked.

"They're going to bring Angelus back," Wes said in a low, serious tone.

**XXX**

_**Unknown**_

"Wolfram & Hart did their job admirably," the dark haired man said to Artulus. "The Slayer will be ready for your ritual."

The ugly demon began a sinister laugh that echoed throughout the cavern. "Not long now."

**XXX**

**A/N:**_ Okay. So. First update in a while, right here. Not as long as it used to be, I edited a lot to keep it less confusing. Last few chapters has had people wanting more to happen, so I hope this meets that requirement. No beta, which is why I edited it down. It used to be nearly twice the size but I'm reasonably sure that if I hadn't cut so much out I'd be the only one to know what the hell was going on. Here's hoping it makes sense. Let me know in a REVIEW!_


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